


Endling

by LuckyCarrot



Category: Vocaloid
Genre: Fantasy, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-02
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2018-07-19 17:39:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 72,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7371316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuckyCarrot/pseuds/LuckyCarrot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Magic is drying out, and its servants are almost gone. The few left, called endlings, are in hiding or captured by humans... KaitoxGakupo</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

Kaito checked his data assistant discreetly and then held back a sigh. Forty more minutes left. The teacher keep droning on and on at the front of the class about the importance of critical reading. Identifying the thesis of a paper, summarizing, keeping a good dose of skepticism, and everything the man was saying was _completely obvious_.

 

Maybe a second or two of closing his eyes wouldn’t be that bad. It wasn’t like he would miss anything with the _great_ slideshow his teacher had put together, nothing but black words on a white background…the man was obviously under the impression they were back in the twentieth century…

 

“Wouldn’t you agree, Kaito?”

 

Kaito opened his eyes with a jolt, but wasted no time in replying, “I’m sorry sir, I didn’t hear you the first time.”

 

“You don’t say,” the teacher replied sarcastically. A couple of people in the class snickered and the man’s eyes focused on one of them. “Ah, William. Since you seem so energetic, maybe you can tell Kaito in your own words what we were talking about?”

 

William hesitated, turning red. “Erm…”

 

“This isn’t kindergarten. If you don’t want to be here, go outside.” The teacher waved towards the door, but no one moved. “No? Well then, try to stay focused.”

 

Kaito made an effort to keep his eyes open. He liked reading well enough, although he vastly preferred historical novels and folklore to dry academic papers. Nevertheless, he was quite sure he could analyze the required texts without all this meaningless talk. And the worst part is that the rest of the lectures of the day were likely to be just as exciting.

 

_But this is the state of the world nowadays, isn’t it? We came on top armed with rationality and science, and shaped reality into our own image. It just happens to be a very boring, self-satisfied image._

It had been a successful strategy nevertheless. Kaito could go to classes without fear of being hunted by spirits or burnt down by a dragon. He had no need for amulets or ancient rituals. There were no strange sounds in the night, no uncertain figures in the mist. Humanity was alone in this earth…or at least, almost alone.

_***_

 

Minutes crawled by, hours slowly melted away and finally the last bell of the day chimed.

Kaito was reading his backpack when Hiroshi, one of his classmates, shoved a leaflet under this nose. “Hey, Kaito! You like this freaky stuff, don’t you?”

 

Kaito examined the sepia-colored paper curiously. It was an advertisement for a ‘House of Zoological Marvels and Other Biological Oddities’ in the entertainment sector by the beachside. It had several illustrations of mounted animals and humanoid beings, bones, artifacts, and one color photograph, advertising their latest piece.

 

“An endling…” Kaito muttered. He looked to be some kind of wind fae, if the oversized wings on his back were any indication.

 

“Do you want to come with us?” Hiroshi gestured towards the group just outside of the classroom’s door. It was comprised of his girlfriend and some of her friends. With Kaito, they would be six people; three boys and three girls.

 

“Akane is trying to set me up with someone again?” Kaito asked with a small smile.

 

“She just wants you to have some company.” Hiroshi turned around and gave his girlfriend a smile, which she promptly reciprocated. “And this chick might be up your alley. From what Akane says, she loves old timey stuff.”

 

“Uh-huh,” Kaito replied distractedly, examining the photograph on the leaflet more closely. Under the disheveled purple hair, the endling seemed to have some sort of feathery protrusions instead of regular ears, and there was a hint of pearly scales on the sides of his face. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a full body image, but Kaito spied the beginning of a scaly tail peeking out from the back of the endling’s baggy white pants. In what was an amusing but understandable reaction, he seemed to be giving the camera a dirty look.

 

“So…?” His classmate waved a hand before Kaito’s eyes. “Wake up already, class is over.”

 

“Sorry, sorry.” Kaito got up and shouldered his backpack. “Yeah, I’m in.”

 

***

  
The House of Zoological Marvels and Other Biological Oddities was a surprisingly somber building almost completely overshadowed by the fairground attractions nearby. It seemed slightly out of place, yet Kaito guessed an institution dedicated to the beings humanity had combated for so long wasn’t welcomed in the City of Enlightenment. That area of town was the exclusive dominion of museums exalting the achievements of one single species.

 

“The proper study of mankind is man,” Kaito recited.

 

“Excuse me?” The girl walking beside him inclined her head slightly. Erika, as she was called, was a small, pretty girl, completely innocuous and insubstantial, that happened to like dressing up in vintage clothes.

 

“Never mind.” Kaito smiled. He noticed that the other four had fallen slightly behind, as if expecting Kaito and Erika to start making out at any moment.

 

Erika followed his eyes. “They don’t look too eager to go in, do they? We should try one of the rides instead.”

 

“Maybe later. I came here to see him, after all,” Kaito pointed to one of the posters on the outside wall of the building. It was an elaborate illustration of the endling, flying in the sky amidst colorful birds of many types. As he had expected, the picture seemed to indicate the endling had an extremely long tail, with more feathers at its end.

 

Erika looked at the poster without any enthusiasm. “Doesn’t that kind of thing creep you out? Seeing a live one?”

 

“Not really, why should it?”

 

“What if he weaves a spell or something?”

 

“They keep him muzzled, from what the leaflet says,” Kaito waved the leaflet around. Small wonder he seemed so annoyed in the photo, given how much fae liked to sing.

 

Erika played with the strap of her cute little bag, unconvinced.

 

“I’m going in. Maybe you guys can go to the roller coaster, and we can meet later at the food stalls,” Kaito said lightly and marched into the building, without waiting for a response. In the crystals covering the sides of the entrance, he spied a reflection of Erika shaking her head vigorously while an exasperated Akane gestured towards him. The other three were shaking their heads in amusement. Kaito shrugged inwardly and went in after slipping his data assistant over the payment sensor at the door.

 

The inside was very dark; only the different displays with photographs and artifacts were illuminated. Kaito was the only person around, and despite his earlier flippancy, he couldn’t help but find the odd silence somewhat unsettling. Not even his footsteps resounded, since a thick carpet covered the floor.

 

After the initial corridor, Kaito turned left and saw the impressive sight of a humanoid skeleton, staring at him with empty orbits from the other end of a big room. It was apparently a member of the endling’s species, if the huge skeletal wings behind the body were any indication. In fact, the whole room seemed to be devoted to them, with glass cases displaying masks and ragged outfits, examples of art, assorted bones, hair and feather samples and more. There were two screens; one displaying what appeared to be a general documentary, the other showing images of the hunt for the endling. All in all, it seemed quite a big effort. The owners of the museum were clearly banking on this being the main attraction of the building.

 

Kaito circled the room examining all the items, until he finally stopped before one of the screens. It was currently showing a naturalist with an elegant goatee; Kaito took out his data assistant and keyed the appropriate code to hear the matching audio track. He held the device next to his ear; the man appeared to be in the middle of his description of the hunt.

 

“It was quite the runaround, for sure,” the naturalist laughed. “He kept escaping even after we hit him twice with the disruptor.”

 

His image was replaced with shaky hand-held footage of the hunt over mountainous terrain. The endling was flying away from the camera, against the backdrop of a cloudy sky. His path was erratic, sometimes almost brushing against the trees below.

 

The vehicle the cameraman was riding on gradually gained on the endling, until suddenly the fae turned around, as if to launch a desperate musical attack against his pursuers. Without noticing it, Kaito held his breath.

 

From the right side of the screen, _something_ attached to a long line shoot out in his direction. It sunk its metal teeth around his right arm, and the endling’s song turned into a scream after the first notes had barely left his lips. He convulsed briefly as if electrocuted and then went limp. If not for the metal jaws around this arm, he would’ve fallen to the ground below. Kaito cringed seeing the red gashes the device carved into the pale skin, as the unconscious fae hung from the line. He shut off his data assistant and walked away from the screen, frowning.

 

“It happened who knows how long ago, he must be cured by now,” he mumbled out loud. Even so, he couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable. But what was he supposed to do, in any case? The naturalist and the museum owners were well within their legal rights to capture and house a non-human creature.

 

Shaking his head, he headed towards the far end of the room. The exit was hidden behind the skeleton display, but there were arrows at both sides, helpfully pointing the way towards the ‘live specimen’.

 

The next room, after a short hallway, was wider and considerably longer than the one Kaito had left behind. The walls were painted to resemble the landscape of the footage, and the roof was made of glass, allowing the tones of dusk to peek in.

 

There were only three things inside the room: two long benches at both sides of the door and a massive cage, which occupied almost all the space available. The prospective visitors were granted just enough room to walk by the wall at both sides.

 

Inside the cage, there was an artistically arranged ‘den’ created with a few rocks and the dry remains of a tree, presumably so the endling could perch on its branches. A small artificial pond completed the habitat. The fae was sitting hugging his knees on the ground outside the den, with his tail curved around him. He was dressed in the same white pants of the photograph, and seemed very much un-muzzled.

 

Kaito gasped and was surprised to find himself voiceless. A moment later, he realized that there had to be a system in place to keep sound from carrying inside the hall, so that the endling couldn’t use his magic. Very clever, he had to admit. Modern technology always was the Achilles’ heel of non-humans.

 

Despite the lack of sound, the endling seemed to sense Kaito’s presence, because he opened his eyes and gave him an unexpressive stare. Despite his unfriendly attitude, Kaito approached the cage, fascinated. He had never been so close to a sentient magical being before.

 

The creature in front of him was very attractive, for sure. Magical humanoids came in varied sizes and degrees of fairness, but the endling belonged to a very aesthetically pleasant species. Aside from the long pinkish scars on one arm, he was as impressive as the old tales claimed. His hair was even longer than in the picture, wild and unkempt, with colorful beads woven into it. A necklace of twisted fibers rested over his naked chest. The delicate features were very human-like, aside from the small scales in his temples and the sides of his lower jaw. Of course, the massive dark wings and tail completely shattered any chance of confusing him with an actual human. Interestingly enough, what at first Kaito had taken for mere feathers seemed more silky and insubstantial, almost reminding him of flower petals.

 

 _Akane might have more success hooking me up with him_ , Kaito thought admiringly, wishing he could touch the creature’s wings and run his hands through his hair. The endling stared at him with reproach, as if he could read Kaito’s thoughts. Then again, maybe he was capable of such a feat. Kaito leaned on the railing around the cage and tried to project his thoughts towards the fae.

 

‘ _Hello, my name is Kaito. Can you hear this?’_

There was no spark of recognition in the endling’s eyes, so Kaito gave up after a minute and contented himself with absorbing the sight before him. The fae seemed mildly interested in him as well. It truly was a pity that they couldn’t trade experiences…

 

Kaito almost jumped when a hand patted him on his shoulder. He turned and found Hiroshi and the rest behind him. Apparently, they had managed to convince Erika to come in. Hiroshi grinned and pulled out his own data assistant. He typed into the screen and then held it in front of Kaito’s eyes.

 

_‘How about a photo?’_

 

Kaito nodded. After some deliberation, he crouched down so as to be at the same height as the endling, who was looking at the proceedings with a nonplussed expression. Hiroshi took the photo and immediately mailed a copy to Kaito. After that, Akane pushed Erika into the frame, so she could pose next to Kaito. Erika reluctantly turned her back to the cage, as if she was almost expecting the fae to jump out and grab her, and daintily knelt by Kaito’s side.

 

 _Give me a break_. Kaito almost rolled his eyes, but managed to keep a polite smile on his face.

 

After the picture was done, Hiroshi gestured for everyone to gather in front of the cage. However, before he could get a shot he was satisfied with, he suddenly frowned. Kaito looked over his shoulder towards the cage and laughed voicelessly. The endling had turned around and was studiously ignoring his visitors. His tail was twitching, like the one of an angry cat. Hiroshi vainly tried banging on the railing and then jumping up and down. By now, everyone but Erika had joined Kaito in shaking silently in laughter.

 

Abruptly, a small projectile, which appeared to be one of the cheap rubber toys from the stalls outside, impacted the back of the endling’s head. Kaito turned to his right in shock, and say Terry, the third male in the group, pumping his fist in the air with a triumphal gesture.

 

The creature’s reaction was as swift as it was surprising, giving his early stoicism. He jumped on his feet and spun around to face them; then, he grabbed the bars of his prison with a jump and stared at them viciously, beating his out-stretched wings from time to time, agitated. Everyone took a few steps back, and to Kaito’s complete lack of surprise, Erika fled the room entirely.

 

But there was nothing the endling could do to them, and he knew it just as well. He spat in their direction after a few moments and then sullenly withdrew to the den, curling up inside with his wings cocooning his body. He clearly wasn’t going to come out any time soon. The visit was over.

 

Without any remorse, Kaito dope-slapped Terry in the back of the head before storming out.

 

***

That night, Kaito tossed and turned in his bed, unable to fall asleep.

 

It was those eyes. The beautiful, scornful eyes of the endling, managing to look down on him like the gaze of a king on his throne, even if he was nothing but a prisoner.

 

But it made little sense. Pretty as he was, the endling wasn’t a person. Kaito might as well be attracted to a cloud or a rosebush, for all that he and the purple-haired creature had in common.

 

Despite his rationalizations, the deeper part of his mind cared little for such distinctions. When he finally fell sleep, he saw himself floating inside a thick mist in the arms of the endling. The attractive fae smiled at him and opened his mouth to sing, but Kaito’s brain was unable to fill the silent vacuum. The dream shifted, taking a distinctly less coherent form, and he tumbled in the air, falling through a slow cascade of feathers. The ground far, far below was sandy, like the bottom of the cage, but it spread out in all directions until it touched the horizon. The desert was covered in the bones of mysterious humanoids. Instead of being afraid, Kaito began laughing and the voice coming out of his mouth seemed distorted and distant.

 

Long before he could crash into the ground, the alarm sounded. Kaito opened his eyes and turned towards the nightstand with dismay. How could it be six already? He groaned and turned the device off. The light of the room turned on mercilessly; a short melody played and the screen on the far wall lit up, showing his schedule for the day and a blinking mail notification icon.

 

“Voicemail, please.”

 

There was a pleasant chime acknowledging his command, and the icon unfolded, showing a picture of his father.

 

“Hello, Kaito. How are you? I hope you have everything you need. Remember you can always ask for more money if you run short. Thankfully, I’m doing fine. Lots of job offers have come my way this season.” Mr. Fuuga’s voice, mild as always, echoed slightly, as if he was recording the message in a vast hall. Maybe he was at the university.

 

“The cherry trees are blooming spectacularly over here. Maybe you can take a week off next year and come see them with me.”

 

Kaito finally gathered enough energy to roll out of bed. As soon as his feet touched the ground, the door of his bedroom slid open and the corridor outside was flooded with light. The voice of his father followed him seamlessly into the bathroom.

 

“With this message, I’ll be attaching some old texts from the guild that you might find interesting. I discovered a great store recently; it has many old manuscripts scanned into modern formats. Let me know what you think.”

 

“Well, I won’t bother you any longer. Have fun, son.”

 

After the shower and dressing up, Kaito headed for the kitchen, where the western-style breakfast was already waiting for him over the small counter. He sat on a stool and raised the steaming mug to his lips. He activated his data assistant and looked at the picture of him and the endling Hiroshi had taken. With a movement of his fingers, he zoomed in on the endling’s irritated face.

 

“I could go back after class…” With the semester barely started, he didn’t have much to study just yet. He had missed it during his previous visit, but the map at the back of the leaflet claimed there was an automated booth to buy treats for the endling inside the building. It was somewhat silly, but since the endling was illiterate, at least according to the leaflet, it seemed like gifts and non-verbal gestures were the only way to apologize for Terry’s actions.

 

Maybe he’d like some jewelry too. Most fae did, from what Kaito had read. He didn’t know if the owners would let the creature keep it, but it was worth a shot. Energized by the idea, Kaito quickly devoured his toast, looking forward to seeing the smile of the endling, this time outside of his dream.

 

***

 

There were several stalls selling accessories of all kinds by the seashore, mostly made by hand. Arts and crafts were still the dominion of human artisans, despite the growing robotization of the world. Kaito perused the wares for a while with a smile. He ended up buying more than he expected: a small comb of carved wood, an indigo hair ribbon with intricate patterns sewn with silver thread and a round turquoise pendant, hanging from a simple black cord. With everything in a small purple gift bag, he marched down the main road of the entertainment sector.

 

Kaito felt really happy, for whatever reason. It was the kind of mood that made him smile at strangers and hum a gentle tune, no matter the strange looks he received in return. The day matched his excitement accordingly: not too hot and with a slight breeze that played with the ends of his muffler. The screams of the people on the rides at each side of the road only fueled the energy that made him almost dance with every step.

 

Finally, the House of Zoological Marvels and Other Biological Oddities came into view. This time around, there was a small crowd outside of it. Truth be told, Kaito had been wondering if it actually was a successful business. Perhaps the previous day had been a fluke, in terms of attendance. He joined the line of people going in and soon after he found the automated booth of foodstuff for the endling, at the right turn he hadn’t explored the day before. The machine was decorated with cutesy drawings of the endling himself in cartoon form, with more birds and musical notes. Kaito took a photo of it, chuckling, and bought some sweets that reminded him of the rice cakes back home.

 

Then, he doubled back and took the left turn, quickly reaching the exhibit dedicated to the winged fae. He made a face at the naturalist gloating in one of the screens and neared the door at the back. He peeked beyond it cautiously, hoping there would be no guards to question him.

 

None, just as yesterday, and it made sense, since most places relied on remote surveillance nowadays. The only people in sight were a family of four watching the cage up close, and a couple sitting on one of the benches. The pair seemed more interested in one another than the fae, though it seemed like an odd place to have a date, given the enforced silence of the room.

 

That same lack of noise gave the children having a tantrum in front of the cage a rather comedic look. They were pulling at their parent’s clothes, pointing at times at the creature perched on top of the dead tree. Kaito had no way of knowing what the problem was, but thankfully the father dragged the children outside after a while. It was rather jarring to suddenly hear the screams in the next room over, like a movie switched on in mid-sentence.

 

“-ride, I want a ride!” A high-pitched voice whined. Kaito boggled. Did those kids expect the endling to take them for a flight? There was no way a potentially dangerous creature would be allowed to fly freely over the city, not in a thousand years.

 

He huffed silently and walked into the room. The endling watched him, undoubtedly recognizing him from the previous day. He frowned with suspicion, looking past Kaito for signs of the rest of his group. Kaito tried to indicate that he was alone with hand gestures; as a result, the endling’s face became the most perfect expression of befuddlement he had seen in ages. After a while, Kaito gave up and simply approached the cage. The side facing the entrance had a couple of informative panels welded into the railing, and a small chute for the treats. A plaque reminded the public that they were being filmed, that any outside food was forbidden, and the chute was calibrated to sense dangerous materials. In the event anything was entered that could damage the exhibit, police would be alerted.

 

 _Let’s see how lenient this thing is_ , Kaito thought.  He gave the couple of the bench a side-glance, but they were too wrapped up in each other to care about him; that suited him just fine. The paper bag was small enough to fit through the chute, just slightly crushed, so he put it inside, and then followed it with the ‘rice cakes.’

 

The endling hopped down his tree and examined his end of the chute with a tilted head, then peered back at Kaito. The young man smiled widely, gesturing with his hand towards the gifts.

 

After a moment, the fae grabbed the paper bag and candy and sat down. The food was obviously familiar to him, because he centered his attention right away on the bag. He carefully pulled out the comb, the ribbon and the pendant and laid them on the ground of his cage with reverence. His fingers caressed the items almost like a blind man would, before he raised his surprised eyes to meet Kaito’s.

 

Kaito smiled again, waiting with baited breath.

 

The endling looked down, almost shyly. One of his hands went to this hair, and almost immediately his fingers were caught in a knot. He picked up the comb and began the long process of fixing his hair. For a second, that made Kaito wish to imitate Terry’s fist pumping. He sat on the floor next to the cage, and patiently watched as the creature groomed himself.

 

_You know…he might not be human, but is he really a ‘creature’?_

 

The question popped into his mind, abruptly. He had no way of guessing the fae’s intelligence, but he seemed on par to a regular person. Putting aside the exotic parts of his body, he looked like a young man. Was it so wrong to think of him as such?

 

Kaito tapped the data assistant in his hand. He did have a way of communicating with the endling, at least on a rudimentary level. Maybe the youth wasn’t illiterate, just unfamiliar with the alphabet. After all, who said fae like him used the same writing systems as humans? If he could get the endling to write his name down, maybe he or his father could find the matching language.  With a dictionary uploaded to his data assistant, Kaito and the endling would be able to talk. Immediately, he began typing a message to his father, explaining the situation. He attached the picture from the day before. Perhaps someone at the university would know what kind of language that type of fae used.

 

Kaito sent the message, downloaded a few useful images and then looked up, excited. The endling was still brushing his hair, but at one point he had decided to put on the pendant. As Kaito had hoped, it matched his eyes perfectly. When the endling noticed his stare, he again looked down, swinging his tail.

 

_Come on, smile; let me see you smile…_

 

And he did. It was a small, grudging smile, but it made Kaito’s heart leap in his chest. Who would’ve thought the most bewitching person he would meet since he began studying abroad wasn’t technically a person at all?

 

Kaito stood up and patted his chest, and then showed the endling the screen of this data assistant. ‘ _Kaito_ ,’ it read in big letters. After that, he pointed at the endling, and to the sandy ground of the cage. Kaito then loaded an image of a man drawing in the beach with a stick.

 

After a moment, the endling nodded. He carefully traced three symbols in the sand with his hand, and then moved aside to let Kaito see them. It didn’t look like any writing system Kaito was familiar with, unfortunately. Still, he photographed the symbols and sent a copy of the file to this father. He didn’t expect much to come from it, but he also ran the picture through the recognition software installed on the device. In all likelihood, it was going to suggest he upgraded to the premium version before doing anything. A moment later, the nagging message appeared, suggesting just that.

 

Once his long hair was sufficiently tamed, the winged youth hid the comb inside of his den, along with the sweets and the paper bag. To Kaito’s surprise, he then proceeded to tie the ribbon around his arm, over the scars. It was too narrow to completely cover the ruined skin, but he seemed very pleased with the result nonetheless. Once he was finished, he showed his arm to Kaito, again with a small, almost hesitant smile.

 

 _Yeah, it suits you_.

 

Kaito mimicked taking a photograph, and since the endling didn’t seem to object, he managed to get one of the lovebirds on the bench to snap a photograph of the two of them. Kaito immediately made it his wallpaper. He proudly showed the endling the screen, which the youth observed with surprise. He then pointed to himself, questioning Kaito with his eyes. It seemed that it was the first time he had actually understood what ‘taking his photograph’ entailed.

 

Kaito loaded the photograph from the day before. He imitated the endling’s grumpy expression on it, while pointing repeatedly at the fae and the screen. The endling actually pouted for an instant, before adopting an exaggeratedly silly grin and pointing at Kaito, making him burst with laughter.

 

Kaito was so used to technology that he had seldom remembered what a useful thing he had on the palm of his hand.  But now, as he showed the fae different images, he felt tremendously grateful for having been born in that place and time. The smile never left his face for the rest of the afternoon, as they worked together documenting more words of the endling’s language. Some images (mostly of industrialized life) left the endling at a loss, but he wrote down several names that seemed to belong to various animals and plants. Abstract concepts proved more difficult, but at the end of it, Kaito was reasonably sure he had the words for ‘fight’, ‘love’, ‘family’ and ‘death.’

 

It was surprising that the people that captured the endling had made so little effort in communicating with him. Even if the owners of the attraction didn’t care, Kaito would’ve expected the naturalist in charge of his capture to make the attempt. If a mere student like him had accomplished so much in one afternoon, it had to be an easy job for an actual scientist!

 

_Which means they simply don’t care about anything he has to say._

 

That sour thought was unfortunately the obvious conclusion. That particular kind of fae was gone, except for one last individual. A lonely relic, waiting in silence to join the rest of his kind in oblivion…and humanity would keep on walking, without turning their head to look at him. The memories of a lifetime, gone to waste.

 

The endling was looking at him with an eager expression, waiting for the next image and completely ignorant of the dark thoughts inside of Kaito’s head. He looked so engaged that it was clear this had been the most exciting afternoon he had experienced in a long while.

 

They were alone. The couple had departed hours ago, and while other people came and went, the trickle had almost dried up, since they were near the end of the day. For a few, wild instants, Kaito saw himself breaking the lock of the cage and letting the endling out. But then what? Take him home? Just picturing the fae inside of his small apartment was hilariously ridiculous. And they would never make it that far in the first place, not with his unusual looks.

 

His data assistant suddenly vibrated, interrupting his thoughts. It was an automated message, requesting him to exit the premises before closing time. He looked at the endling, wondering how to communicate that he had to leave. Would he understand waving a hand? He tried it, and the endling tilted his head before imitating the gesture. It wasn’t clear to Kaito that he knew what it meant, though. He’d know soon enough.

 

_…I wish I could let him know that I’ll be back._

 

Kaito slowly backed towards the entrance, which seemed to clue the endling about the meaning of the previous gesture. The fae turned away quickly, but Kaito caught a glimpse of the disappointment in his face. It made him feel like a complete jerk.

 

_I’ll be back, I swear!_

 

Like the day before, the youth retreated into the den and hid behind his wings. Kaito practically ran out, his earlier excitement almost completely consumed by a feeling of uselessness.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Against his wishes, Kaito couldn’t return to the museum until a couple of days later. To his annoyance, the records department at campus had some trouble with his paperwork (why they still used actual paper to store important information was a mystery to him). As Kaito tried to sort out the issue, he found himself undeniably anxious to see the fae again. Would the endling be upset with him? Or would he be glad to see Kaito, if only as a diversion from his boredom?

 

Finally on Thursday afternoon, Kaito was able to visit the museum with a longer, thicker turquoise and silver ribbon in his pocket. He went straight towards the exhibit of the winged fae, walking quickly. However, as soon as he laid eyes on one of the display screens before the cage room, he stopped dead on his tracks. 

 

Evidently, the footage being looped didn’t stop with the capture of the endling. On the contrary, the screen displayed the endling kneeling on some kind of low stage in front of the museum, with his arms tied behind his back, a muzzle and a strange leather mask on his head which covered his eyes and the sides of his head, pushing the feathery protrusions backwards. The naturalist was behind him, forcefully extending one of his wings so the crowd around them could see it more clearly. The video then displayed a close-up of a feather, presumably as part of a discussion of their properties.

 

However, it was the image of the fae on the stage that struck Kaito. It was hard for him to picture how that would feel: tied up, muted, blinded and unable to understand the words of his enemies. Kaito shook his head, trying to dispel the unsettling feeling that suddenly overcame him. He pressed on into the next room, as fast as if someone was pursuing him.

 

The endling was sitting in the same position as the first time Kaito saw him, hugging his knees with his eyes closed. The room was empty again, except for a grim-looking man in a dark suit. Kaito immediately sensed something off about him: he seemed too serious and businesslike to be in what was essentially a freak-show, disguised as a scientific institution. He stood there, taking notes on his data assistant, and then unenthusiastically snapping pictures of the fae.

 

The endling opened his eyes and all other thoughts left Kaito’s head when their eyes met and the fae smiled. He jumped to his feet in one swift motion, pleasantly surprised. The man in the dark suit did a double take at the sudden change and observed the pair suspiciously as they stood in opposite sides of the bars. Kaito showed the fae his present, smiling apologetically, and the fae’s eyes twinkled with joy.

 

Only after the ribbon went through the chute Kaito noticed the man’s strange behavior. He was quickly taking images of the endling from various angles, reminding him oddly of paparazzi. Kaito managed to peek at the man’s data assistant right at the moment when he snapped a close-up shot of the fae’s scarred arm, before the endling began to tie the new ribbon around it.

 

_Is he some kind of government inspector or something?_ Kaito wondered, intrigued. The thought of the man slapping the museum owners and the naturalist with a huge fine for mistreating the endling was incredibly appealing. 

 

His work apparently completed, the man simply walked out of the room. Kaito was tempted for a moment to follow him, and figure out who he was, but then decided against it. He and the endling had a long afternoon ahead of them, and he wanted to enjoy every second of it.

 

***

 

Time passed. As the days went by, Kaito did his best to balance study and his peculiar new friend. At first, he tried to dismiss the latter as a passing interest, but soon there was no denying it: their time together was the highpoint of his daily routine. Perhaps it was the famed charm of the fae, but every single day Kaito ran after classes to the museum, where he spent the rest of the afternoon trying to communicate with the endling. Even when he had an important assignment, he simply carried his laptop with him and sat working beside the cage while the fae watched him curiously.

 

Kaito had often heard of ‘companionable silence’, but it was a mostly unexplored phenomenon for him until those peaceful afternoons. People were very loud and frantic in this country, even more so than the youth of his native land. Whenever they weren’t talking, at least one data assistant nearby played music or net shows of some description; it was as if people were afraid of silence itself. Of course, inside the cage room silence was forced upon them, and most of the time it was just a hindrance. But Kaito had the feeling that even if the two of them were suddenly transported to a completely different setting, he would still be able to sit by the fae’s side and study without either of the two feeling obligated to fill the void with pointless chatter.

 

The fae’s figure slowly began to form part of Kaito’s mental landscape, as much as the few friends he had and his father’s distant but warm presence. The endling’s little gestures and moods became familiar through sheer repetition, drop after drop of him slowly revealed before Kaito’s eyes. Nobody else valued  _who_ the endling was, instead of  _what_ he was; Kaito felt like the owner of an extremely rare treasure. 

 

***

 

One morning, Kaito sat eating breakfast in his tiny apartment, nestling a nice fantasy: someday, he would return with the endling to his native country and show him the sights. With so much mountainous land still untouched in the main island, he was sure to love it. 

 

“Imagine Dad’s face if I came home with a real fae,” Kaito muttered impishly. Although his father was one of the most understanding people the young man knew, it seemed like the perfect way to give him a heart attack. With a wry smile, Kaito finished his toast and got up to find his backpack.

 

As he commuted aboard the express train, he casually flipped through the collection of photographs of the endling he had on his data assistant. He stopped on a particularly adorable image of the endling, posing with a new necklace and bracelets. Earrings were out of the question, due to his anatomy, but Kaito had plenty of shiny things to buy for him, and his winged friend seemed really happy with the attention. Thankfully, the museum owners didn’t care enough to seize his gifts to the fae.

 

_I wish I could tell you how beautiful you are_ , Kaito thought, unconsciously running his fingers over the screen. The data assistant interpreted this as a request to go to the next image, which was a shot of the endling lapping the water from the artificial cascade that fed the pond inside of his cage. Kaito chucked. 

 

‘Talking’ with the endling was proving to be very difficult. Anything beyond cataloging simple concepts transformed in a complex and frustrating experience, exacerbated by the complete lack of sound. Kaito’s father hadn’t replied to his mail yet, except with a short message stating he would look into it, and requesting more examples of writing. Kaito had sent every word he was reasonably sure he knew the meaning of, each day hoping to see the glowing icon on the screen as he woke up. Until then, there was nothing else to do but keep putting together a dictionary. Kaito hadn’t found any known fae language that used the same symbols during his own research, but he didn’t have that much time to devote to such extracurricular activities. 

 

***

 

That afternoon, Kaito found the endling unsuccessfully trying to remove two pieces of gum from his hair. There were several balls of gum littering the bottom of the cage, and a conspicuous pink stain decorating one of the fae’s pant legs; obviously, some jokesters had chewed through several packages and then decided to pelt the prisoner with the result. 

 

_If I had been here, I would’ve punched their damn teeth out_ , Kaito thought, seething. What type of idiots could derive amusement of harassing someone so utterly defenseless? 

 

The endling gave him a despairing look, and then pointed at his hair. 

 

_I know, I know._ But there was little Kaito could do. Even if he had scissors or even a penknife (which he didn’t) there was no way the chute would let a metal, bladed object pass through without alerting the authorities. He suspected that regular shampoo wouldn’t be that effective, but maybe that would pass impeded.

 

He was still debating whether a trip to the drugstore would be a good idea or not, when suddenly a lanky, tanned man wearing brown overalls came into the room. He was carrying a big toolbox, and had a rod hanging from his belt: a long tube with a couple buttons on one end, similar to a police baton. 

 

When the fae saw him, he visibly bristled and backed away. The man pointed the rod in his direction with a bored expression, and the endling twitched weirdly, as if having a seizure. He fell down on all fours, panting. 

 

Kaito grabbed the man’s arm angrily. The man looked him over, unimpressed, and pointed to the tag on his overall. ‘Museum Maintenance’, Kaito read. Evidently, someone had seen the attack through the surveillance system and had sent the man to clean the endling’s hair and cage.

 

The man’s methods were despicable, but Kaito knew better than to disturb his work. If he did, he might get barred from the museum. He released the man’s arm, but then a sudden idea made him quickly type a message on his data assistant. The man looked at the screen with a raised eyebrow, but nodded. He then ordered Kaito to stand back with a gesture and opened the cage. The endling was still on the floor, breathing heavily.

 

Kaito grudgingly sat on a bench and watched as the man approached the endling. From a pocket of his overalls, the man produced a small tube; mercilessly, he grabbed a handful of purple hair and yanked the fae’s head back. The tube was revealed as a container for some kind of aerosolized anesthetic, when he puffed a small cloud of its contents into the endling’s mouth and nose. Almost immediately, the fae crumbled into the man’s arms, unconscious. The maintenance man dragged the endling to the den’s entrance, only slightly hindered by his big wings, and laid him on his stomach. He quickly cut a couple of locks off his head and sprinkled the rest of the hair with cleaning fluid. He stored the locks of hair in a small plastic bag and then proceeded to clean the cage. 

 

After his work was done, the maintenance man exited the cage, locked it and gestured Kaito to follow him. The young man obeyed after giving the unconscious endling a last glance. The older man lead Kaito all the way to the end of the room, where a door was partly hidden, painted over to continue the motif on the wall. 

 

Behind the door, there was a dusty and narrow corridor, with exposed pipes and several control panels for the ambient and surveillance systems of the exhibit rooms. The man went through one of the doors, labeled ‘Staff 2.’ 

 

“Excuse me, I’m coming in,” Kaito whispered, rather uncomfortable. It wasn’t a custom of the country to announce one’s entry to a place, unlike his homeland, but it felt a bit weird to go in without saying anything.

 

The maintenance man ignored him. He sat down on a ratty office chair and lit up a cigarette, a rather uncommon sight in that day and age. Kaito stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, looking around him discreetly. The space was part storage, part break room and part office, with peeling paint, an ancient heater in a corner, a dilapidated couch and desk, and piles of haphazardly stacked boxes. Everything irradiated melancholy and tedium.

 

“It’s a cute little thing, that one,” the man commented exhaling cigarette smoke through his nostrils like a dragon.

 

“Excuse me?” 

 

“The specimen, rich kid, what else could I be talking about?”

 

“Who says I’m rich,” Kaito said guardedly. He didn’t much care for the man’s tone. Perhaps it had been a mistake to offer him money for a lock of the ending’s hair. 

 

The man sneered. “Right, like I can’t see how you’re all dressed up in those fancy clothes.”

 

Kaito sighed. “Fine, yes, I have money. Can I have that bag now, please? Give me your account details and I’ll transfer the money right away.” He set his data assistant to record and held it before the man.

 

“Theodore Jasper Gonzalez, at your service,” the man said with a sour smile and puffed some more smoke. “ID 12445-AA011-88, Account 777465-88-055, validation Taurus 07.”

 

Kaito’s data assistant chimed, indicating the data had been collected successfully. Kaito transferred the money without comment, and an instant later the man’s own data assistant vibrated inside of one of his pockets. 

 

Gonzalez took it out, glanced at the screen and nodded. “All yours, Mr. Fuuga,” he said, gesturing with the cigarette towards the desk. The small bag was resting on its surface alongside the maintenance toolbox.

 

Kaito picked up the bag and slipped his hand inside. Soft, very soft hair greeted his fingertips. It felt slightly different than human hair to the touch, but Kaito couldn’t tell exactly why. Perhaps it was a magical effect, distorting his perception. He decided to get a smaller bag for it the next day, something he could hang around his neck.

 

“Hey rich kid, tell you something. You fancy the little thing, right? Looking for new experiences or some such? How about, for a small amount of course, I let you inside the cage for the night? I can make sure the cameras are down.”

 

“What?!”

 

“Don’t give me that look, kid. I saw the way you were staring at it. You want to yank that little tail and have some fun,” Gonzalez laughed nastily. “It’s not like that sort of thing is new for you loaded types. Ever heard of the Pale Line Houses?”

 

Kaito frowned. “No, and I don’t think I want to know about them.”

 

“Really? Well, never mind. You should take the chance if you want to taste this one, though. They don’t last long, caged like that. Very sickly and fragile, the pretty ones, and still they managed to outlast the big lizards and the squat uglies.” The man shrugged. “Or perhaps I should say _we made them_ last this long.”

 

Kaito hung his head, very much aware of the redness of his cheeks. Not only were the words of the man disturbing, he was watching him intently with a big, malicious grin in his homely face. The worst thing was that Kaito felt somewhat tempted by his offer. The mere idea of holding the fae’s hand or touching his face was enough to make his heart race, even framed in such a twisted manner. But he felt too embarrassed to say anything.

 

“You don’t have to answer right away, you know?” Gonzalez exhaled a long smoke serpent. “Think about it; tell mom and dad you want an early birthday present, whatever.” He waved in the direction of Kaito’s data assistant. “You have my ID number; you can contact me later if you want.” 

 

“…I think I want to leave now,” Kaito said haltingly.

 

“You know the way out.” Gonzalez didn’t move from the chair. 

 

“I do,” Kaito agreed and quickly left the room. He briefly paused in the unkempt corridor outside, trying to compose himself. He took deep breaths, until he guessed that his face was back to its normal hue. As calmly as he could, he returned back to the cage room. 

 

The endling was still lying down, looking as peaceful as if he was taking a nap. Kaito leaned on the railing in a seemingly relaxed pose, but inside he still felt deeply uncomfortable. Not five minutes later, he abruptly walked towards the entrance, without looking back.

 

***

 

The following day, Kaito was eating lunch outside, under one of the trees that surrounded the campus. As he munched on his sandwich, he turned the pages of a thick book on his lap. Next to him, his data assistant played a calm tune. It was good sometimes to read things in old formats like newspapers and books; it gave them a certain nostalgic feeling, the faraway events depicted in them made more real with the touch of a page under his fingers.

 

“So how’s the boyfriend?” Hiroshi plopped down next to Kaito on the bench, causing his friend to almost drop the book to the ground. His friend grabbed Kaito’s data assistant and observed the slideshow of pictures acting as screensaver, nearly all of them of the fae.

 

Kaito hurriedly swallowed the food inside his mouth, frowning. “Put that down, please.”

 

“How often do you go there, anyway? Maybe they can give you a special discount.” Hiroshi grinned and tucked a strand of his eternally tussled dark hair behind an ear. “You know, if what you wanted was to meet a cute guy, you should’ve said something. I’m sure Akane can find someone to your liking.”

 

Kaito looked away, pursing his lips. 

 

“…I won’t tell anyone, if you aren’t ready to come out,” Hiroshi said softly, in a completely different tone from his usual loud, jokey voice.

 

“Doesn’t it bother you?” Kaito asked after a while, still carefully observing the buildings to his far right. 

 

“Hum? Nah, more girls for me, mate.” 

 

“I’m not… I like girls too, from time to time.”

 

“Ah, ambidextrous. Akane will like that, more people to choose from,” Hiroshi said good-humoredly.

 

“I don’t need a matchmaker,” Kaito said, pouting.

 

“We just don’t like seeing you alone all the time, that’s all.” Hiroshi held the data assistant upright. “And this is not healthy; you have to know that!”

 

“Oh, do I?” Kaito couldn’t avoid slipping some anger into his voice. At the same time, it wasn’t surprising that Hiroshi’s tolerance didn’t quite stretch that far.

 

“You know it isn’t! He isn’t human; you can’t have a relationship with a fae! You should know this even better than me, you’re always reading about this sort of thing. At best, their mind works on a different level than ours; at worst, they are always trying to deceive humans. Don’t fall for his tricks.”

 

“Ever heard of the saying ‘history is written by the victors’? There has to be a good percentage of lies and exaggeration in the literature about them.” Kaito slammed his book shut. “Besides, who said anything about a relationship? I just find him interesting, that’s all.” He looked away, to hide the growing blush in his cheeks. 

 

“Uh-huh, right. That’s why you have…wow, a _lot_ of pictures of him inside of this thing.” Hiroshi thumbed through the image gallery with a look of disbelief. “And I don’t even know what this is.”

 

“We’ve been trying to put together a dictionary so we can talk.”

 

Hiroshi made a face. “Honestly, Kaito. If you’re skittish about going out on your own, we’ll accompany you to a bar or something. Don’t waste your time on this.” He placed back the device on the bench with a grimace.

 

“I appreciate your kind words,” Kaito replied in a formal tone after a moment. “But this really doesn’t concern you.”

 

Hiroshi shrugged, his usual cheer tinged with bemusement. “Sorry for trying to be friends, then. But we’ll be around, if you change your mind.” He stood up and waved as he walked away.

 

Kaito stared at the cover of his book, annoyed. He wasn’t in any condition to focus on the text now, which meant he’d have to study harder after class.

 

“Perhaps I should stop going to the museum for a few days…” he pondered. It’s not like he was lacking on things to get done, and working at home was considerably more comfortable. 

 

The endling might get a bit antsy if he didn’t show up, though. But on the other hand, Kaito was under no obligation to go every single day. If he thought about it rationally, there were no ties between them; Kaito didn’t even know what the name of the fae sounded like. For all he knew, the endling was only showing interest to convince Kaito to set him free somehow. 

 

The thought was surprisingly hurtful; but if considered carefully, it was really unwarranted. The fae just acted like a lonely individual, happy to have found a friend. Kaito was the one bringing confusion into their relationship, such as it was.

 

“What do you mean to me?” Kaito said, looking at the smiling face on the screen. He suddenly felt cold, despite the sunlight touching the gardens all around him. 

 

***

 

Several days passed. Kaito spent every afternoon holed up inside his apartment, reading in bed. He felt a strangely paralyzing fear that manifested in an unwillingness to talk and see anyone, specially the fae. It was hard to put into words exactly what was bothering him, or perhaps it was more accurate to say that it was an amalgamation of things, defying a simple label.

 

It was one thing to feel physical attraction to the fae. Kaito had no problem accepting that, he knew his own tastes well enough. But an emotional attachment was another thing entirely, and in the current situation, completely preposterous. He knew nothing about the endling! Why was he so willing to dive into something so uncertain? 

 

The image of the winged youth kept intruding in his thoughts, wrecking his attempts to study. Comfortable environment or not, having an unresolved business of any sort made concentration difficult. Once the weekend arrived, he had to finally concede that sitting next to the cage under the inquisitive gaze of the fae would’ve been more productive in the long run. 

 

It was Sunday evening. Rain was pounding against the window, with a constant sound that Kaito usually loved to hear as he fell asleep. But now he morosely stared at the ceiling, wasting time. The chime of the voicemail notification was a welcomed distraction, when it chirped from the screen on the wall.

 

“Voicemail, please.”

 

Again, the placid smile of the father stared at him. “Hello Kaito, I hope that you are doing well. If I sound hoarse, it’s because I caught a cold. Don’t worry, it’s nothing serious.”

 

“Anyway, I’ve been thinking about that winged fae, and your comment about the Rosetta stone gave me an idea. Even if we don’t have conclusive studies about his specific dialect, we do have a couple of well documented languages used by fae. He could recognize one of them.”

 

Kaito straightened up in his bed, eyes wide. 

 

“I’ve uploaded all the information I could find to our shared drive. Let me know how it goes. Take care, son.”

 

That was it, finally a chance to overcome the gulf between them! Kaito jumped out of bed, his earlier apathy forgotten. He ran to the big screen in the living room and pressed his hand to it. The surface reacted to the touch, displaying a simple interface. It was perfectly possible to use only voice commands (in fact, some people Kaito knew were barely capable of fast typing thanks to this), but for some things he preferred tactile input. He quickly accessed the cloud storage service and examined the files left there by his father. The languages represented included deep dweller runes, the elegant script of the Warm Isles, a compendium of house spirit ideograms and more. There was also a treatise on comparative grammar and a primer on pronunciation his father had assembled, just in case.

 

Kaito pulled up a chair to the screen and began working. He first opened a new document and dictated a series of phases and questions he wanted to say to the endling. After that, he began to translate the sentences into the various languages, hoping that his attempts at following the grammatical rules weren’t complete rubbish. Some of the languages followed a similar structure to English, although Severii had more in common to his native Japanese, in terms of sentence order and lacking certain sentences markings. Others were notably more complex, with verb conjugations that made his head spin. He dearly hoped that the endling was familiar with one of the comparatively easier ones. All in all, he wasn’t sure his attempts at coherency were completely successful, but he still felt rather hopeful when he finally went to bed. With surprise, he realized he had stayed up until three in the morning, completely focused on his task. 

 

His enthusiasm was still there when he woke up, despite a fatigue-induced headache. As he went through his schedule for the day, he realized that he had no interest in going to classes. After a moment’s deliberation, he sent a message to Hiroshi, telling him he felt sick, and was going to stay home. Half an hour later, his friend replied promising a recording of all the lectures by the end of the day.

 

“For all his joking around, he’s been really kind to me.” Even if Hiroshi didn’t approve of his interest in the fae for prejudiced reasons, he meant well. Perhaps an apology was in order. After all, he had been the first person to approach Kaito and show him the ropes in this new country.

 

But Kaito had a more exciting issue to attend to first. After some consideration, he decided to code a little dictionary program for his data assistant. It was going to get tedious to search the words lists manually every single time, if the endling recognized one of the languages. The program wouldn’t help with more complex things like sentence structure, but it could speed up the process of searching individual words. It was telling that nothing like it existed in the app store, whereas human languages dictionaries and artificial interpreters were commonplace. He sat down still in his pajamas with the laptop and spent a couple hours putting together a basic interface, then linked it to the voice recognition and OCR modules already installed.

 

By the time he was satisfied with the results, it was time for lunch. He quickly put together and ate a sandwich in the kitchen, then finally showered and got dressed.

 

As Kaito combed his hair in front of the bathroom mirror, he paused for a moment to look at his face. He wasn't the type to obsess about his looks, but suddenly a simple question arose from the bottom of his mind: did the fae think he was weird-looking? He had never thought of himself as someone out of the ordinary, aside from the bluish tint of his hair, which was admittedly uncommon in the human population. But he had to appear strange, perhaps even grotesque, to someone with a tail, wings and tiny scales that changed hue slightly in the light.

 

_In his eyes, you must be the exotic one_ . The Kaito in the mirror adjusted his muffler and smiled encouragingly.  _Make the most of it_ .

 

He hummed as he placed everything he thought he needed inside his backpack, including two more sandwiches, his laptop and a folded white hoodie.

 

Kaito reached the museum without incident, and followed the familiar path with mounting excitement. Curiously, not for a moment he doubted that the fae would recognize one of the languages. Normally, he would've stopped for a moment to examine his odd certainty, but now he felt like an invisible force was propelling him forward. He had his own wings, in a way, made of expectations and hope, and they carried him towards the one that had so easily transformed his life.

 

There were others in the cage room, but Kaito barely registered their presence. The only one that mattered was sitting up high, on a long branch of dead bleached wood. The fae saw him and dropped down, and for a moment Kaito thought he saw a glimmer of the same emotion inside of him reflected in the endling's eyes. It made him feel an overwhelming desire to climb the railing, step precariously on the portion of the chute protruding the bars of the cage, and extend his arm inside- just a second, just to hold the fae’s hand. It was such a little thing, and yet it would make him so happy...

But no, they would call the police on him, no doubt about it. So he neared the cage with a pounding heart and opened the file in his data assistant with the premade phrases he typed the day before.

 

_Let’s rule out the most unlikely ones first_ , Kaito thought and showed the fae his attempts at a simple question using house spirit ideograms. ‘ _Do you understand this text?_ ’ the screen said (or at least attempted to say). 

 

The winged youth tilted his head, with no signs of recognizing what it was. It made sense, house spirits had little to do with wind fae. The same thing happened with Volkarre runes. Severii sparked some recognition, but the fae shook his head immediately after, presumably trying to convey that he wasn’t fluent in it. 

 

The last one, the language used in the Warm Isles, was Kaito’s strongest bet. It was the language the last queen of the fae used, according to the texts. If the queen of queens used it, there was a high probability it served as a lingua franca for all the disparate types of fae.

 

Kaito raised the data assistant once more, and a shiver coursed through him as he saw the fae’s eyes lit up. An overjoyed expression slowly spread on the endling’s face as he nodded several times, and he crouched down to etch new characters of the sand of his cage. He then turned and placed a hand on his chest, tail swinging from side to side excitedly. Kaito quickly consulted the symbols table, heart beating fast in his chest.

 

_Gakupo…your name is Gakupo._ The syllables lit a small, warm spark of joy in Kaito’s heart that spread slowly throughout his body, all the way to his fingertips. He tried saying it out loud, forgetting for a second the enforced silence of the room. The fae watched his lips carefully and nodded, smiling.

 

Kaito’s fingers were trembling slightly as he typed his name using the symbols. He held up the data assistant for the fae to see, and his heart almost leapt out of his chest when the fae wrote down a new phrase for him. As far as Kaito could tell, it was a very straightforward message…

 

‘ _Thank you, Kaito.’_

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

A small crowd gathered around Kaito, watching him and the fae as they arduously tried to communicate in the language of the Warm Isles.

 

‘ _Ask him if he’s really the last of his kind_ ,’ a man wearing a Hawaiian shirt proposed through his data assistant.

 

‘ _Ask him if there are any dragons left!_ ’ a blonde girl begged, practically shoving her own device into Kaito’s face. Her t-shirt had a particularly impressive-looking red dragon on the front.

 

Kaito winced internally, wishing he had waited for a moment when the two of them were alone. Attracting too much attention to himself could have unexpected consequences. But it was too late to do anything but move forward. Ignoring the onlookers, Kaito examined the list of pre-made phrases he had written the night before. However, before he decided on what to ask, Gakupo began to write a rather long sentence on the sand of his cage.

 

The crowd looked on expectantly, as Kaito tried to decipher its meaning. There were a few words that didn’t show up in his lists and deducing the meaning from the context proved impossible. Still, he managed to determine Gakupo was trying to tell him something about the circumstances of his capture.

 

‘ _Too difficult,_ ’ he typed back, after a while.

 

Gakupo sighed inaudibly in response, then erased the symbols and tried something simpler. After a quick search, the meaning of the individual words became clear, although Kaito felt something  _had_ to be wrong.

 

‘ _Where is Titania_?’ the symbols on the sand seemed to say.

 

Titania, queen of all magical beings? She was killed in battle many years ago, wasn’t she? And what did  _that_ have to do with Gakupo’s capture? Kaito didn’t want to disappoint his friend, but there was no other way around it, so he typed in his data assistant: ‘ _Titania is dead.’_

 

Gakupo shook his head energetically. ‘ _Titania dies, Titania rises. All queens are Titania.’_

 

Kaito scratched his head. Titania’s embalmed body was in the City of Enlightenment on display as a trophy, he had seen it himself. Finally, he just shrugged.

 

Gakupo lashed the ground with his tail in irritation, disturbing the symbols on the sand.

 

‘ _ASK HIM ABOUT THE DRAGONS!!_ ’ The girl with the red dragon t-shirt almost pressed her data assistant against Kaito’s nose.

 

Kaito relented and searched for the appropriate words. Gakupo blinked at the resulting message and his eyes focused on the girl for the first time. After a moment, he nodded cautiously.

 

While the girl bounced around the room in joy, Kaito tried a few questions from his list. His lack of experience with the grammar of islander language rendered a good number of them incomprehensible, he soon discovered, and the answer to others was too complex for him to understand. Nevertheless, after some laborious back and forth, he managed to gleam a few facts about Gakupo: he was indeed the last of his kind, as far as he knew; he used to live alone before his capture, although he was in contact with other fae, and he wasn’t expecting any kind of rescue from his friends.

 

It made sense. Magic was very dependent on long incantations and taking advantage of the energies of the natural world; a large city like the one they were in was a terrible battlefield of concrete and smoke for wind or wood fae, who seldom had the destructive capabilities of dragons or the sheer physical prowess of deep dwellers. There was no way Gakupo’s friends could succeed in such an attempt.

 

Once that topic was exhausted, Kaito turned to more trivial matters: what foods the endling liked, his favorite color and so on; little details he wanted to know, just to complete the picture of the person before him. For Gakupo was a person, Kaito had decided, despite the arguments drilled into him throughout his life. It didn't matter what Gakupo looked like, he was a rational being; he belonged inside a cage as much as any of the humans surrounding Kaito, or Kaito himself. Once more, as he scanned the lists of words for the right terms, Kaito felt an overwhelming desire to spring Gakupo out and take him home.

 

Suddenly, two big hands landed on Kaito's shoulders and made him spin around. As he turned, Kaito’s eyes briefly met Gakupo's, before his field of view was obscured by bodies wrapped in security uniforms. It was just a second, but his fear was palpable, and it spread to Kaito’s heart as he watched the burly men towering around him. Their faces were alert and unfriendly; they were clearly ready to give him a very bad time. A step behind them stood a man with chestnut hair, round glasses and a goatee. Kaito recognized the naturalist that captured Gakupo right away, even before his lips curved in that familiar self-satisfied smile.

  

The naturalist snatched the data assistant from Kaito's hands before he knew what was happening. His smile widened as he examined the device and its contents, then gestured to the security guards, who dragged Kaito towards the other exit. The crowd of onlookers parted, watching the scene in confusion, but no one moved to intervene. As for Gakupo, in one jump he returned to the top of the dead tree; from above, his eyes followed Kaito's figure with obvious concern.

 

Kaito allowed himself to be taken, not that he had any chance against such hulking men. For a moment, he wondered if they were taking him to the same staff room where Gonzalez sold him the lock of hair currently hanging from his neck inside a small bag. But the guards marched past the door and into the next room.

 

"Where are you taking me?" Kaito asked as soon as they entered a long hall with no sound treatment.

 

"Shut up." One of the guards replied, barely moving his lips.

 

"I wasn't doing anything wrong."

 

"I said shut up!"

 

Kaito bit his lip. These men had no legal authority to do anything to him! They were plainly taking advantage of the fact that he was a foreign student to push him around. That, or they knew how afraid he was not seeing Gakupo again.

 

The group crossed the museum in silence, until they reached the administrative side of the building. Kaito was led inside the senior consultant's office and forced to sit on an ottoman. One guard stood at each side of him, another by the door, and the naturalist sat across him on a regal armchair.

 

"What is this about?" Kaito asked, probably a bit more forcefully than it was wise.

 

"I just wanted to speak with you, Mister-" the naturalist paused to check the id screen of the data assistant. "Kaito Fuuga, student visa holder." He smiled once more. "You may call me Professor Silvestri."

 

"I know who you are, you hunted down Gakupo," Kaito spat.

 

The professor only showed the faintest reaction to his words. "Oh, is that his name? How commendable, you managed to communicate with the specimen."

 

"I used the islander language."

 

"Of course, what else could you use?" It was clear from the man's tone that he considered that an insultingly obvious thing to say.

 

"You knew? Why keep him there in isolation, when you could be studying his culture and language?!" Kaito eyes widened in disbelief.

 

Silvestri took off his glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose. "Spoken like a true idealist. Even academia must bow down before the golden idol, Mr. Fuuga. He has no tactical value, given that the military don't need to know how to exterminate his kind, which means no government grants. As for the private sector, inhuman studies are an unpopular subject, and public opinion has worsened even more since the Prima incident."

 

Once the glasses were back on his face, he continued. "Besides, what's the worth of a single individual, without the opportunity of observing him and his peers in a natural setting? Specially a young specimen like that, he must've been a child when the mass culling took place. I doubt he had the chance to absorb the culture, to put it in those simple terms."

 

"...Mass culling?" Kaito asked reluctantly.

 

"If I'm not mistaken, the last large flock of wind fae in this sector was destroyed around seven years ago."

 

Kaito lowered his head. Had Gakupo been alone for so long? How could a child survive without caretakers, no matter his species?

 

“Of course, you could argue that even documenting a dead language is a worthy pursuit, to have a more complete understanding of the world around us. But that sort of thing is a hard sell. Given the alternatives, selling him to this museum was probably one of the best things I could choose, whether you like it or not. They’ll treat him well, as long as the visitors keep coming. So if you care about his well-being, maybe you should try bringing your friends with you more often.”

 

“He’s more…he’s more than a freak-show attraction!” To his annoyance, Kaito found himself choking up. The last thing he wanted was to cry in front of this man and his goons.

 

Silvestri examined his face, running a finger through the hairs of his goatee. “You know, if you are that interested, perhaps you could try buying him when his health deteriorates. It’s bound to happen, unfortunately. But that may drop his price to a level you can afford.”

 

“That’s horrible!”

 

“It’s just pragmatic advice, son. I understand the appeal of non-humans, I do. I wouldn’t be in this field if I didn’t. But you have to be aware of the realities of the world. By all means, study them, admire them even…just don’t allow yourself to love them.”

 

Kaito frowned. Was there some secret behind the veneer of respectability of the man before him? It seemed like very specific advice, making him wonder if it was something Silvestri had to repeat to himself regularly.

 

The professor rose and went to the desk. He connected the data assistant to the desktop computer. “If you don’t mind, I’ll be making a copy of the photos and other information you have compiled so far. I might not have the funds for a complete study, but I’m not about to pass the opportunity to have this kind of material.” He smiled with a touch of mischievousness.

 

“Can I have the data assistant back when you are done?” Kaito asked cautiously.

 

“Of course, I’m no thief!” Silvestri seemed truly surprised for a moment.

 

_What was I supposed to think, being dragged here like this? Though I guess I should be glad they aren’t beating me up for being friends with Gakupo…_

 

“You can go home when I’m done. Yes, home. I’m going to take this opportunity to do the specimen’s monthly health check-up. I was told he’s not eating enough.”

 

Kaito thought back, worried. It was true; Gakupo seemed to drink plenty of water when he was around, but he seldom saw him eat from the bowls of grain and fruit next to his den. But who could blame him, being trapped like that? Anyone would lose their appetite.

 

“Maybe his diet has to be adjusted. I guess we’ll see.” The professor disconnected the device and handed it back to Kaito. “Escort him out, gentlemen. And you Mr. Fuuga, don’t skip classes again.”

 

Kaito gulped.

 

“If you want to keep a fae as a pet, you’ll need a large salary, my friend. Study hard.” The professor went to the desktop computer, apparently done paying attention to Kaito. 

 

The guards made Kaito stand and wasted no time dragging him to the exit. Soon, Kaito was standing outside, staring at the poster of the endling. He touched it with one hand, his fingers lingering over the figure’s heart.

 

“A pet…”

 

Was there no place in the world where they could live together as equals? If their roles were reversed and they had met in one of the hideouts of non-humans, would they face the same issues? The colorful illustration clouded before his eyes. Kaito wiped his face with a frustrated groan. How embarrassing, tearing up out here in the open where anyone could see him…It took him a minute or two to get himself under control, before he turned his back to the museum, but thankfully no tears rolled down his cheeks.

 

As he walked away, an idea began to sprout roots inside his mind, tiny but persistent. 

 

He had to get Gakupo out somehow.

 

***

 

Silvestri was right about one thing: it wasn’t a good idea for Kaito to skip classes or act strangely, not if he wanted to develop his plan in peace. So he decided to space out his visits to the museum and stay less and less time, pretending to be slowly losing interest. It stung to see Gakupo’s hurt expression after it dawned on him what was happening, but it was risky to try and explain. From then on, the endling seemed significantly less cheerful when he saw Kaito arrive. 

 

Much later, Kaito wondered if that sense of betrayal had contributed to Gakupo’s illness. Mood had an effect of health, after all, and he was probably one of the few things Gakupo had to keep his spirits up inside the cage. Whatever the case, a couple weeks after Silvestri and Kaito spoke, he arrived to the museum, only to find Gakupo curled up inside his den, hiding behind his wings.

 

As always, Gakupo sensed his presence. At first, all he did was to partially unfurl his wings and give Kaito a wan smile. His eyes shone feverishly, and even from a distance Kaito could see he was shivering. After a while, the fae stood up clumsily, almost tripping on his own tail. Perhaps he wanted to write a message on the sand outside, but halfway he had to crouch down, exhausted with even that little effort. Kaito watched with horror as Gakupo traced a single unreadable word on the sand, then staggered and landed on the ground, unable to return to the den.

 

Kaito pulled out his data assistant, ready to call an ambulance, before he realized what he was doing. After a moment of hesitation, he send a message to the museum’s contact address instead, and another to Gonzalez. 

 

The next half hour was one of the hardest things Kaito had to endure throughout his life. He could do nothing but watch as Gakupo dragged himself closer to the bars, reaching mindlessly towards him. There was nothing to do but to grab the railing, cursing the metal bars that kept him from comforting his friend. 

 

Help did arrive, eventually. Gonzalez arrived with three other people; a woman with a white lab coat and two guards. Kaito stood by the cage’s door, hoping to at least be allowed to hold Gakupo’s hand as they treated him, but Gonzalez gestured towards him and the guards pushed him out of the way, despite his trashing about. The guards were all smirks as they pinned him against a wall of the chamber.

 

Meanwhile, Gonzalez carefully turned Gakupo face up, and the woman began to examine him, taking care not to kneel on his wing. Kaito watched as she peered closely into Gakupo’s eyes and mouth, measured his pulse and blood pressure, and took a blood sample and inserted the tube into a small diagnostics machine. After the machine displayed its findings on a small screen, the woman injected Gakupo with the contents of two syringes from her pack, and then nodded to Gonzalez. They both stood and exited the cage, leaving Gakupo where he laid.

 

Once outside, the woman nodded once more to the men and exited the room. Gonzalez went the opposite way, towards the disguised door; a while later, he returned with a pile of bedclothes. He made a makeshift bed outside the den for Gakupo and sat at his side unenthusiastically. A moment later, he gestured at the guards to take Kaito away. 

 

_No!_ Kaito kicked the back of the closest guard’s knees, making him stumble. The young man managed to evade the other one’s arms and dashed inside the cell. Gonzalez didn’t move, staring with a mix of surprise and amusement as Kaito dropped next to the fae and pulled him into a hug.

 

Damp locks of hair, sticking to scalding skin. A trembling hand, seeking his. A silent mouth, repeating his name. So close to what he had wanted for so long, yet painful to behold. Kaito couldn’t reason, couldn’t think, couldn’t question why he was allowed to remain where he was, rocking Gakupo softly. He only recovered some semblance of rationality when Gakupo fell asleep, seemingly alleviated by the medications. 

 

Kaito timidly met Gonzalez’ gaze, and he found his mocking smile somewhat softened. The guards were standing by the cage’s door, and Kaito realized the maintenance man had stopped them from entering. 

 

Gonzalez typed a message on his data assistant and held it in way only Kaito could see the message.  _‘I’ll take care of him. Leave before they kick your butt.’_

 

Kaito took another glance at the guards’ faces and then back at Gonzalez; he nodded. He slowly extricated himself from Gakupo’s arms and exited the cell, fully expecting to be aided in his retreat by a kick or two. Nothing happened, fortunately, and he exited the museum without incident.

 

Once outside, he ran away without stopping; his body wanted to return to Gakupo’s side so badly that Kaito knew he wouldn’t be able to resist the pull if he gave himself time to breathe. He ran aimlessly, past the train stop, past the crowds of humanity and the stores full of shiny, useless baubles. The city was too vast a cage to be crossed on foot, and he had no destination, no shelter besides his apartment and his books. As the night closed in, he returned there, to his small life. Uselessness weighted down on him.

 

***

 

“They sold the little thing. He’s going to be taken away by the end of the week. I guess he wasn’t as profitable as the administration hoped, or the sickness got them spooked, and they want to get rid of him while they can still fetch a good price. In any case, if you want some time alone with him, you better make up your mind fast, kid.”

 

The message had come unexpectedly two days after, while Kaito was at home preparing for an exam. Suddenly, a notification flashed on his screen, bearing Gonzalez’ name. Kaito stood from his chair, dropping a few of his things to the floor. He didn’t care one bit. His eyes were fixed on the static image of the maintenance man.

 

“I suggest you do it today. I might not be able to come to the museum tomorrow or on Thursday. Just let me know and I’ll get things ready.”

 

Kaito stared at the screen without really seeing it. Like a torrent of cold water, his thoughts rushed inside of him, crushing every certainty. They were taking Gakupo away from him. Just like that, before he had time to figure out what to do to save him, or where to hide him. No, he couldn’t allow it. He would have to improvise. With shaky hands, he quickly replied to Gonzalez, with a simple, ‘ _I’ll be there_ .’ Kaito then ran to his room, to put together a bag.

 

***

The sleeping bag limply bounced against Kaito’s leg, as the train slowed down to a stop. He stepped out into the platform, squeezing the strap of his backpack. The last stragglers of the day moved past him, going back to their homes after a tiring day. A few more followed him as he walked towards the exit, towards their night shifts.

 

Kaito glanced at a pleasant-looking man, studying the map of the stations on one wall. His gentle features reminded him of his father; the immediate result was a lump on his throat. Would his father ever forgive him for this? Would he ever understand the feelings inside of Kaito’s chest? 

 

_I have to do this. I have to_ . 

 

The entertainment sector shone in the night with many garish colors; despite being a weekday, there were many people milling about the rides and food stalls. Yet the stretch of street next to the museum was poorly lit and deserted, except for a black car with tinted windows parked in front of the main door. Kaito approached it with caution; there was no reaction whatsoever. Perhaps the museum director was working late. Kaito shrugged and turned left and into the narrow alley between the museum and the next building. According to Gonzalez, he was waiting at the back door. 

 

The back of the building was even grimmer than the front, just a small parking lot and some trash cans next to the dirty walls. Kaito raised a hand to knock on the unremarkable door, but stopped midway. After a moment’s deliberation, he took off his backpack and hid it with the sleeping bag behind the trash cans. Gonzalez might get suspicious if he saw Kaito carrying such a heavy pack. 

 

With that done, he finally knocked. The door opened to reveal Gonzalez with a cigarette hanging from his lips. He gave Kaito a crooked smile and dropped the cigarette on the ground by the door. After stomping on it, he walked inside, gesturing to Kaito over his shoulder. The young man followed him in silence.

 

A couple of turns later, they arrived to the dilapidated corridor adjacent to the cage room. Gonzalez stopped before the door, a hand over the dark wood.

 

"Listen up. Whatever happens inside of the cage, I'm not responsible, ok? If the little thing bites something off, don't come crying to me. If someone sees you getting busy with him, you sneaked in on your own." He pulled a small metallic thing out of one pocket and handed it to Kaito. "Look at that, you know how to force doors open, you cheeky devil." He chuckled at his own words. "Just come to the staff room when you are done playing. Got it?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"Good. Enjoy yourself, kid."

 

They walked into the silent room, shrouded in darkness aside from a couple of emergency lights. Gakupo was lying outside of the den in the makeshift bed. He sat up blinking when the shaft of light from the flashlight hit him on the face. His eyes widened when he saw Kaito standing next to Gonzalez, and his surprise only grew when the maintenance man casually opened the cage and let the younger man inside. 

 

Gonzalez handed Kaito a second flashlight, gave him a thumbs up and retreated, without even sparing a glance to the confused fae.

 

_He looks healthier_ . The light casted severe shadows around them, but Kaito could see that the fae’s gaze seemed more focused and alert.  _Bless modern medicine_ . 

 

Gakupo stood up and took a hesitant step forward. Kaito approached him, feeling pretty nervous himself. They stared at each other for a long minute, as if it was the first time they had laid eyes on one another. Abruptly, Gakupo jumped forward and draped his arms around Kaito. The flashlight fell soundlessly on the blankets on the ground, casting its light on the far wall. Soft feathers tickled the side of Kaito’s face; a bit further down his cheek, he felt the slightly raspy sensation of tiny scales rubbing against his skin. Gakupo’s hands clung to his long jacket, digging into the white fabric with almost manic energy. 

 

Kaito’s knees almost buckled under him; if not for the silence of the room, a stream of incoherent words would’ve poured from his mouth, as his hands hesitantly touched the skin of the fae’s back. The oppressive absence of sound seemed like an ally for once, shrouding him from the rest of the world as he held Gakupo in his arms. Everything else seemed distant, every place and person he knew, far and faded like old tales. Time tiptoed around them; the night looked away, complicit.

 

But as much as Kaito wanted to stay unmoving, it was time to go. He gently ended their embrace and crouched down to recover the flashlight. Gakupo watched him with no inkling of what to expect, if his unsuspecting face was any indication. Kaito's intentions quickly became clear when he took one of Gakupo's hands and began pulling him towards the cage's door. 

 

Gakupo looked more troubled than relieved, surprisingly. Kaito had to coax him patiently to walk the few steps until he was beyond the bars, and the endling seemed about to run back at any moment. Kaito persevered, swallowing his own nerves, until they were next to the entrance of the service corridor. Kaito brought a finger to his lips, hoping the gesture would be understandable to the endling. He then opened the door at a glacial pace.

 

Kaito was used to Gakupo's inhuman appearance by now, but against the drab scenery of the corridor, he once more was struck by the uniqueness of his figure. It was quite the contrast, the fae in simple white pants and handmade jewelry, against the metals and plastic of the modern age. The turquoise eyes studied every control panel on the walls with curiosity; wondrous technology was all around them, the accumulated effort of many human lives across the ages. And it was but a fraction of all Kaito could show the endling, if only he had the chance. 

 

The walls were so close together that Gakupo's wings brushed slightly against them, making a faint sound. Given the control he had over them, Kaito suspected Gakupo could position them in such a way to avoid making noise, but he wasn't sure how to convey the need for it. It was better to just move forward and hope Gonzalez wouldn't hear it inside the staff room, instead of stopping mid-way to check his data assistant.

 

The exit was close now, just a few more steps. They could make it. The door opened with a creak, and Kaito's heart almost leaped out from his chest. But they were outside. Outside! The two of them together in the cold night, with the whole world before them!

 

Kaito almost sang with joy, before the rational part of his brain reminded him that the hardest part was yet to come. He had to get Gakupo away from the illuminated entertainment sector, somehow. Nevertheless, it was hard not to feel happy with the fae by his side. He squeezed his hand before approaching the trash cans to retrieve his backpack and sleeping bag. Once they were hanging from his back and arm respectively, he turned towards Gakupo.

 

Gakupo was looking past him with a frown, towards the front street. A shiver went down Kaito's spine, even before a jovial voice rang out.

 

"That's our rightful property, young man."

 

At the other end of the alley, three figures stood, their backs illuminated by the car with the tinted windows. The jolly man at the center was small and stodgy, not the type of person one usually associated with dangerous encounters in dark alleys. But the men at both sides made up for that by looking as menacing as they could in their dark suits. With a jolt, Kaito recognized one of them as the man he had witnessed taking photos of Gakupo.

 

“Come here; slowly, if you please.”

 

If only he could tell Gakupo to fly away! The men wouldn’t risk hurting him. Did the fae understand what was going on? He seemed to recognize that the men were dangerous, if the nervous way he was clinging to Kaito’s arm was any indication. Kaito almost had to drag him as they inched forward, until they were a few steps of the strange trio.

 

The short man also noticed Gakupo’s fear; he smiled in a way that probably was meant to be reassuring. “It’s alright. We’re taking you to a very nice place, very fun!” He spoke slowly; as if stressing every syllable would make Gakupo understand him. 

 

The endling, of course, just looked at the man with a puzzled expression.

 

The man pulled out a velvet bag from one of his coat pockets, and from it extracted an ornate necklace of white gold and purple jewels. Even in the relative darkness of the alley, metal and crystal shone invitingly; it was clearly an expensive piece, not something one would buy at the beachside market. Gakupo let out a little gasp of awe.

 

"Very pretty, isn't it?" the man smiled, luring the fae with the necklace. "You like shiny things, don’t you? You'll have as many shiny trinkets as you want at the Pale Line; all you need to do is your job." 

 

That name was familiar...after racking his brains, Kaito made the connection. Given the context where he first heard the words, the job they wanted Gakupo to do was obvious. The mental image made Kaito sick just thinking about it; also, the way the man was treating the fae didn’t help matters: he was dangling the necklace in front of his face, as if trying to entice a kitten.

 

Gakupo took a step forward swishing his tail. He seemed almost hypnotized by the glow of the object, and he stretched one hand forward, a blissfully childlike expression on his face.

 

The man laughed, withdrawing his arm. With his other hand, he patted Gakupo’s head benevolently, while the fae pouted. “You have to make me happy first, cutie.”

 

"Gakupo, no!" Kaito grabbed his arm and pulled him away, earning a strange, anxious glance. That brief look was enough for Kaito to realize that Gakupo's behavior was an act of some sort. But why pretend?

 

The man’s smile didn’t falter one bit, even as his voice took a more malicious tone. "Dispose of that kid and get the fae into the car," he ordered the men. 

 

The pair moved forward, pulling out formidable-looking weapons. At the sight of them, Gakupo again hugged Kaito, draping his wings around their bodies. Just for a second, Kaito and the man’s eyes met, before the feathers of Gakupo’s wings shrouded him. The amount of malice transmitted by those dark pupils left him breathless. 

 

But Kaito had little time to worry about that, before several things happened in quick succession: the ground under his feet seemed to wobble and transformed into a slippery incline. Both Kaito and Gakupo wavered like reeds on a current, losing their footing. Once gravity forced Gakupo to tumble backwards, Kaito realized that the world around them was completely changed. Gone were the men, the dark alley and the museum: Kaito and Gakupo were on the slopes of a mountain, out in the wilderness, surrounded by a fierce storm. Gakupo was trying to get up; Kaito bent down to help him but slipped, sending them both rolling downhill in a confused mess of feathers, mud and screaming. At one point, Kaito felt the data assistant in his pocket crack against a rock; later still, the sleeping bag hit him squarely in the face and bounced away into darkness. By some small miracle, he managed to hold on to the flashlight. 

 

Finally, their descent brought them close to a twisted tree and Gakupo grabbed hold of one of the branches. Kaito held on to him with his free hand until he put the flashlight away into a pocket. Gathering his strength, he swung and clutched another branch. He looked around pointlessly at the dark landscape, out of danger for the time being but utterly confused. What was going on? What was this place?

 


	4. Chapter 4

Barely a couple of hours ago, Kaito had been sitting in a perfectly insulated room, with no immediate concerns except the looming exam. Now, he shivered due to the cold under a heavy coat of mud, trying to make sense of the world around him.

 

Had Gakupo transported them away from the city somehow? He had whispered something into his ear, just before the ground under their feet shifted. Was it some kind of spell?

 

Right on cue, Gakupo began singing; his voice was just a soft whisper against the storm, but the faint echo of his breath lingered on Kaito's cheek. Demonstrating an unexpected amount of strength, Gakupo surrounded Kaito's waist with his arms and leaped into the air, carrying them both into the turbulent sky. Kaito screamed, caught by surprise, and then vertigo made him press his face against Gakupo's neck.

 

The rain soaked them for a while as Gakupo flew around, looking for something Kaito could only guess. Given the current weather conditions, Kaito couldn't take the data assistant from his pocket to ask where they were headed, though in truth he doubted his arms would answer to his commands even if the machine still worked. He was squeezing Gakupo so tightly due to nerves that it was a small miracle that the fae could still breathe, much less sing. To compound the miserable experience, by now his clothes were utterly damp. Not even the warmth of Gakupo’s body pressed against him was enough to stop Kaito from trembling uncontrollably.

 

Finally, Gakupo descended, so suddenly that Kaito let out a gasp. Gakupo stopped singing and mumbled something in his native tongue, perhaps an apology or reassurance. A moment later, they reached the ground, a narrow ledge on a mountain slope, close to a roaring waterfall. To their right, there was a chasm, brimming with rainwater and darkness. To their left, the rock wall opened into a roundish entrance, partially blocked with boulders.

 

Gakupo pushed the wet hair out of his face and flapped his wings a couple of times near the edge of the outcropping, sending raindrops everywhere. Then, he carefully passed through the narrow opening walking sideways like a crab. Kaito followed him after fishing out the flashlight from his pocket.

 

The trembling light illuminated a small cavern, with a surprisingly lived-in look. There were a couple of ancient-looking chests resting on the stone floor, surrounded by a wild variety of broken and old artifacts of human origin. Above them, bundles of dried herbs hung from ropes tied between the stalactites hanging from the ceiling. Close to the entrance of the cave, an unlit fire pit was surrounded by faded cushions for seating. In the back, a small mount of dry grass and flowers presumably served as some kind of nest. A gloomy passage to its right continued further into the hidden heart of the mountain.

 

Gakupo went to a corner and retrieved a bundle of firewood. He knelt by the fire pit and tossed the fuel inside, then straightened up and adopted a look of concentration. He sang briefly, and fire burst before him, dancing from log to log. Kaito took off his backpack and knelt by the endling’s side, warming his hands gratefully.

 

"Is this your home?" Kaito wondered aloud. It was hard to accept anyone could live in such poor conditions in that age, even fae.

 

Gakupo didn't answer. Instead, he walked towards a big chest and began rifling through it. To Kaito's surprise, it was full with clothes, blankets and bedclothes. Interestingly, many of the clothes were completely devoid of the adjustments needed to accommodate Gakupo's anatomy. Together with the many disparate artifacts around them, the size and normalcy of the garments made Kaito suspect Gakupo indulged in either dumpster diving, or outright stealing from human settlements. He frowned in passing disapproval, but it was hard to judge someone so isolated and helpless too harshly.

 

Gakupo finally extracted some blankets, a cape and two worn-down rags, possibly sheets, and handed one of the rags to Kaito. The young man examined it with puzzlement, briefly wondering what the fae expected him to do.

 

Gakupo spoke in the islander language, with a questioning look on his face. Kaito hurriedly took out the data assistant from his pocket, grimacing at the cracked screen. At least for the moment the device was still operational, so he pointed it towards Gakupo. After a few seconds, Gakupo repeated the question, speaking slowly. Kaito scanned the resulting list of words. It seemed the endling was telling him to use it as a towel.

 

"Ah, yes, yes." Kaito nodded several times eagerly. He stood up holding the 'towel' but then halted his movements. It wouldn't do any good unless he took off his muddy clothes. However, surely Gakupo wasn't expecting him to strip right there in front of him?

 

The fae obviously didn't share his qualms about it, because he nonchalantly dropped the white pants to the ground and began to dry his body with the other rag. Kaito boggled, too surprised to even look away. When he deemed himself sufficiently dry, Gakupo threw the piece of fabric and the wet pants near the opening of the cave. He then noticed Kaito's expression and let out a chuckle. Kaito apologized and turned around quickly, flustered.

 

Gakupo commented something in an amused tone and laughed again. Kaito continued examining the opposite wall until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to find a smiling Gakupo with a woolen cape wrapped around his figure. The fae tugged on Kaito's shirt, shaking his head.

 

"I know, I know! I'll get on it right away, I just..." Kaito stammered. He took a breath, and after placing the rag on top of one of cushions, he began to unbutton his shirt.

 

Gakupo obviously sensed how nervous Kaito felt, because he went to the entrance of the cave and stood there for a while wringing out his hair.

 

_Stop acting like an idiot_ , Kaito told himself, fighting with his gelid fingers. _If you behave like a kid, he'll treat you as one_.

 

As he undressed, Kaito peeked at the figure by the entrance curiously. With Gakupo leaning forward slightly and the long purple hair out of the way, it was easy to see the long slits on the back of the cape that allowed the wings to come through. Unlike many of the things inside the chest, the garment seemed hand-made, and specifically tailored to fit Gakupo.

 

The rag was a poor replacement for a hot bath, but Kaito cleaned himself as much as possible before tossing it and his clothes aside. Then, he threw one of the blankets around his shoulders and sat down next to the fire.

 

"Gakupo, I'm ready," he called to the fae.

 

Gakupo sat down by his side, smiling. "Kaito teach trick," he said in a slightly accented tone while pointing towards the data assistant. "Gakupo learn trick. Good boy!"

 

Now that was a surprise. "Ah, you want to learn how to search words in this? Sure, it's pretty simple!" Kaito excitedly began to demonstrate how to go back and forth between the two languages. Gakupo watched him carefully, then clumsily dragged his finger on the screen once Kaito handed him the device. Kaito realized he was watching someone completely unfamiliar with tactile technology interacting with his first touchscreen. He placed his hand over Gakupo's and gently guided his movements as the fae navigated the different options. After a couple of searches, the endling began to operate the device by itself, nodding occasionally and muttering. Kaito watched him in amused silence for a while and then turned his gaze to the fire.

 

"This has been such a long day," he commented quietly. He had run through a gamut of emotions during the last hours, battling anxiety and fear. Some of that fright still lingered in the back of his throat, when he thought about what would happen when he returned to the city, but the fire and the presence next to him were powerful tools to soothe the tension. Besides, Kaito felt a small measure of pride, as his eyes returned to the profile tinged by the firelight. Gakupo would fly the skies again, thanks to him.

 

How soft was the glow of fire on those features! Golden hues sought skin and hair, spreading their honeyed touch all over. Liquid metal seemed to take shelter inside the turquoise eye, changed into a miniscule and remote star. Could he ever hope to reach such a distant vision? There were things that even words couldn't convey, and they were still struggling with words themselves. And yet Kaito had to persevere, as the aching inside of him demanded. No other course of action was conceivable; nothing else would sate his heart.

 

Gakupo turned to look at him with a small smile on his face. Without saying anything, he placed the data assistant aside and held one of Kaito's hands between his own. The gesture had a certain quality to it, almost like a practiced ritual. Perhaps the lack of spontaneity, the sense that it was something Gakupo had witnessed others do and was repeating faithfully was just a consequence of Gakupo's imprisonment in the city of humans, or the results of a life of loneliness. But it mattered little, since his smile was sincere and his hands were steady and warm.

 

Kaito's heart began to race again, his thoughts in a whirl. Was it a good idea to break the silence? He would need to use the data assistant, and that meant letting go of Gakupo's hands. Ultimately, he stayed motionless, gazing at the fae, as one idea began to congeal inside of his mind: Maybe they would never fully understand each other. Words or no words, there are always shadowy places inside people.

 

_But perfect understanding isn't necessary for us to be together, right? More than anything else...I want you to be by my side._

 

It was a simplistic way of seeing things, of course. Kaito had no idea how to integrate Gakupo into his life in the city. He didn't even know if Gakupo wanted to be part of it in the first place. But at that moment and place, Kaito could turn his back to the uncertainties of the future. Now, there was only Gakupo and the cocoon of night and raging wind around them.

 

_What do you mean to me? I want to know. I want..._

  

Before he could change his mind, Kaito leaned forward and kissed Gakupo softly. Gakupo seemed surprised, and Kaito realized he had no idea if the fae even knew what the gesture meant. Kaito pulled back, ready to apologize, but Gakupo smiled.

 

"Good," he said. He tapped Kaito's mouth with a finger. "Yes."

 

Kaito let out something between a wheeze and a laugh, relieved. He pressed his lips against Gakupo's, stretching the moment as long as he could. One of his hands sank into the purple hair he had admired for so long, the other explored Gakupo's back, between the wings. The fae stroked Kaito’s cheeks with his thumbs, and then delicately traced the curves of Kaito's ears and the shape of his jaw.

 

Outside, the storm howled as it traversed the lonesome landscape. Inside, a torrential need for more guided Kaito's body, and he surrendered to it completely and unquestionably. His hands slipped under the folds of the cape, examining smooth, feverish skin. Flesh responded to him, fingers replicated his motions; lips searched his between sighs and indistinct words.

 

Fulfillment was an impossible cusp to reach. It would always be distant, like a mirage across a precipice, and he would always be useless and small, eternally yearning for something that had no name. That was the fear that had plagued Kaito, until that night. Now, with each caress, he rose higher and higher above the clouds of the mundane. With each kiss, the threads of his thoughts dissolved further in the sweet current. Fire burned outside and inside of him, in every crook of his body, in his innards, in his tongue, in his eyes. Gakupo sang and Kaito joined along with his own tune of unparalleled longing.

 

The storm outside raced the skies, washing away the night. The storm inside raced across Kaito’s limbs and filled his heart with pulsing electricity, making him cry out again and again. Little by little desire tore away at him, until he finally feel asleep by the fire pit, cradled in the endling's s arms.

 

***

 

Consciousness returned very slowly to Kaito the next morning. At first, he had no idea where he was, other than it was considerably harder than his bed. He sat up rubbing his neck, blinking confusedly at the messy surroundings.

 

His eyes turned towards the opening of the cave, drawn by the shaft of daylight emanating through it. After his eyes became accustomed to the brightness, he saw Gakupo sitting on the ledge outside. His wings shone with a darkly purple hue in the sun, partially hiding the rest of his figure, but he seemed to be swinging his legs on the edge while humming softly and stomping the ground with his tail rhythmically.

 

Kaito rose, pushing aside the blanket and Gakupo's cape that had been covering his figure. He looked around for his clothes, but he didn't see them anywhere. He scratched his head, but finally shrugged and walked outside as he was. It was a bit embarrassing, though by now Gakupo had seen every part of him in detail...

 

As unerring as Kaito had come to expect, Gakupo turned to him before he could even say a word. "Good morning, Kaito." The words were only slightly warped by his accent. "Had you a good sleep?" The fae smiled proudly after this, waving the data assistant in his hands.

 

"Wow, you learn fast!" Kaito gushed obligingly. "Ah, good morning! I slept well." He approached Gakupo, but decided against sitting next to him when he took a good look at the view before them. In fact, some of the vertigo of the previous night returned in full force, as he fully realized how deep the chasm was.

 

"No fearing, I hold," the endling rushed to say and stretched out a hand. "Sit."

 

Gritting his teeth, Kaito carefully took Gakupo's hand and crouched down, scooting closer to the edge as gradually as he could. He unashamedly gripped the fae's arm as he dangled his legs past the ledge, squeezing his eyes shut. Gakupo placed the data assistant beside him with a chuckle and dedicated his whole attention to soothing Kaito, until he dared look again at the colorful scenery.

 

Below, far down, was a valley covered in trees of various types, mainly conifers. It was like a gigantic cup filled with dark green liquid, slightly rippling due to the breeze. The tiny valley was surrounded by mountains at all sides; so steep were the slopes and so thick the vegetation below, that wings were probably a necessity when travelling the surroundings. The only thing Kaito could see beyond the boundaries of the valley was clear blue sky.

 

The descent of the nearby river was broken into several waterfalls before disappearing into the trees, creating several pools of bubbling water. The closest one was circled with big rocks and vegetation; Kaito spied his clothes and Gakupo's pants fluttering below, hanging from the branches of a tree next to the pool. Presumably, the fae had washed them.

 

"Data assistant is hungry," Gakupo commented.

 

"Oh? Ah, right, I need to charge it. I brought a solar charger, it's inside my pack," Kaito wasn't sure Gakupo really understood any of that, but he clarified things by crawling back inside the cave and returning with the device in question.

 

"Flower," the fae noted, as he watched Kaito place the charger and the device on the ground, absorbing solar energy.

 

"Yeah, it's like a flower, it eats sunlight." Hopefully in time, Gakupo would be able to understand more complex scientific explanations, but that was serviceable.

 

Gakupo nodded thoughtfully. "You hungry too?"

 

"Me? Yeah...But I’d like to clean up first. You know, bathe?" Kaito pantomimed taking a shower, and pointed towards the waterfall.

 

Gakupo tilted his head. Abruptly, he circled Kaito's waist with his arms, pulling him close.

 

"Wha-!" Kaito's voice cracked into a little shriek when Gakupo jumped off the ledge. A second later, the fae began singing, his wings unfolded and their fall turned into a glide.

 

"Warn me before you do that!" Kaito squeaked, sounding less manly than what he would've preferred. Gakupo's smile grew, almost cat-like.

 

Tracing wide circles in the air, they descended right into the waters of the closest pool. While Kaito sputtered and sloshed around, Gakupo twirled and batted his wings, as comfortable in the water as he had had been in the air.

 

"Gyah, you...!" Kaito's first instinct was to crawl out of the icy current, but a proper response was needed first. He heavily swam closer to Gakupo, thinking of dunking him; however, all thoughts of vengeance vanished from his head when the fae smiled joyfully at him.

 

"I'm glad for Kaito!" The endling declared and kissed him briefly before bobbing away like a feathery cork.

 

“…uh...” Kaito replied eloquently. He floated debating what to say or do, with that familiar sense of having wasted the perfect moment to act charming.

 

After a while, Gakupo crawled out from the water; he stood on a big rock, shaking his hair and wings like a mix between a dog and the world's biggest pigeon, before lying down to bask in the sun. Kaito joined him, enjoying the warmth of the stone under his body. Out of curiosity, he reached out and pushed aside the wet bangs covering Gakupo's forehead. He touched the skin gingerly. It was hard to say without instruments, but it seemed to be warmer than normal.

 

"You are still sick, you shouldn't be exerting yourself," Kaito said worryingly. What was he supposed to do if Gakupo relapsed here? He had some medicine in his bag, painkillers, anti-allergens and antiseptics, but he didn't even know what the illness was in the first place.

 

Gakupo just grinned and caressed his hand. Undoubtedly, he hadn't understood a word of what Kaito had just said.

 

"I'll take care of you somehow, don't worry," Kaito said, mostly for his own benefit.

 

They rested there for a while, hand in hand, while the day gradually became warmer and warmer. Aside from the roar of the waterfall, the valley seemed very quiet, offering just the rustling of trees and the occasional chirp of a bird; Kaito wondered idly if there were any big animals living within the rocky walls.

 

Abruptly, Gakupo sat up, covering his mouth with a hand in alarm. “Kaito is hungry! Bad!” Before Kaito could stop him, he leaped into the air and descended further into the valley, quickly disappearing behind the cover of trees.

 

Kaito watched the swaying trees for a few moments, scratching his head. The angle of the slope was such that it looked impossible to scale (or descend) without the use of ropes, not that he was the athletic type. Out of options, he went to retrieve his clothes and then sat back on the rock, waiting for Gakupo’s return.

 

Now that he had time to think, his mind went back to the alley and the men from the Pale Line. So they collected fae for the entertainment of wealthy humans? Was that legal? For obvious reasons, he wasn’t exactly familiar with the laws of the region regarding usage of non-humans. But even if it was, it didn’t make it okay.

 

At least they had escaped before those creeps could lay hands on Gakupo. Though that was in itself puzzling: if Gakupo had such an amazing ability, why didn’t he escape sooner? Even if he was kept muzzled at every point since his capture, he hadn’t teleported away _during_ the hunt, just attempted to fly away in plain sight. The video on the exhibition clearly showed he had time to work his magic, if it only took a single whispered word.

 

Kaito was so deeply engrossed in his thoughts that it was an absolute surprise when Gakupo landed by his side, carrying a basket of fruits and green leaves of some kind of plant similar to the lettuce. Unfortunately, that caused Kaito again to squeal in a rather undignified manner, but he recovered quickly.

 

“Um, thanks,” he said, accepting the basket.

 

Gakupo sat in front of him with his tail perked up, eagerly waiting for a reaction. The fae had taken the time to dress, and was wearing another set of white pants and a short cape of the same weave.

 

Kaito bit into a fruit, an extremely juicy pear, and had to stop the liquid from running down his chin with his fingers. It was better than any supermarket food, for sure! He mumbled his approval as soon as he stopped munching. “Very good!” He gave Gakupo a thumbs-up.

 

Gakupo imitated his gesture with a grin.

 

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Kaito offered a fruit to the endling.

 

Gakupo stared at him, wide-eyed. Curiously, he suddenly seemed much meeker, almost bashful. Without meeting Kaito’s gaze, he muttered something that sounded like a question, before shaking his head and rushing to say something else, waving his hands.

 

“I might be missing some context,” Kaito said. What could be bothering Gakupo? Had Kaito committed so kind of faux-pas in giving back the fruit?

 

Kaito cupped Gakupo's face with his hands, forcing him to meet his gaze. "I..." He began, before realizing he had completely forgotten how to say sorry in the islander language. They stared at each other for an increasingly uncomfortable long time, before Kaito released his hold on the fae. "I think we'll need the data assistant for this."

 

"Data assistant, good?"

 

"Um, yes?"

 

At this, Gakupo again launched himself in the air, this time flapping his wings in the direction of the cave. Not long after, he returned with the device in his hands.

 

"We're going to be in serious trouble if this things stops working," Kaito declared, running his fingers along the cracked surface of the screen. "Let's start from the beginning...'repeat what you said before', perhaps?" He made the device display the equivalent words, peering at Gakupo's expression to see if he had managed to convey his request.

 

To his surprise, Gakupo actually blushed and again evaded his eyes. Inside Kaito, his desire to spare the fae from further inconvenience fought with his need to know what was going on. Ultimately, curiosity won over his better instincts and he insisted.

 

Nervously twitching his tail, Gakupo slowly repeated the first phase and ended it with a few extra words. Kaito looked at the screen with the results, befuddled and bemused. Perhaps it was a fault of the program or the data it used, but it seemed as if Gakupo had asked him if he was trying to adopt him.

 

Before he settled on a response, Gakupo continued, pulling the data assistant and Kaito's hands closer to his mouth. This time around, it was something along the lines of knowing that Kaito wasn't a wolf and didn't have a wolf life. It didn't particularly help to make matters clearer.

 

Kaito finally shrugged and gave Gakupo a weary smile. "I don't get what you're saying." He pushed the basket aside and pulled Gakupo into a hug. "Let's be patient with each other for now, ok?"

 

"Patient," Gakupo muttered and kissed Kaito's cheek before resting his head on his shoulder.

 

"That's right."

 

Now that he had Gakupo pressed against him, it was easier to notice that he was still feverish, definitely worse than the night before.

 

_I should’ve asked Gonzalez if they were giving him any pills…I’m such an idiot._ Kaito squeezed the fae even harder, disquieted.

 

‘ _Let’s go back to the cave, you need to rest,’_ he typed in the data assistant.

 

Gakupo look bemused at this; he shook his head, stating something in a matter-of-fact tone. The data assistant rendered the words as _‘I must go to Prima.’_

 

“Prima?” Another error, no doubt; Kaito was beginning to seriously doubt the quality of the study that resulted in the list of words he was using. The alternative was preposterous.

 

“Prima, boss,” Gakupo added.

 

_No way_. Feeling extraordinarily silly, Kaito flapped his arms like a frantic chicken. “ _The_ Prima? The huge, scary, city-leveling Prima?”

 

Gakupo chuckled at this. He flapped his own wings a couple of times, and opened his mouth wide while moving his head in an arc, as if spewing invisible fire before him. He then flicked his tail in merriment, seemingly amused by Kaito’s shock. “Yes, Prima.” He grabbed the data assistant from Kaito’s hands and operated it briefly. “…I go talk to Prima, Kaito staying. I return soon.”

 

“Absolutely not. If you are going anywhere, I’m coming too.” The mere idea of facing such a menacing figure made Kaito tremble, but he wasn’t going to let Gakupo wander about on his own. Besides, this was another layer to the mystery that was the fae before him. When he spoke of having non-human friends, Kaito had expected them to be very much like Gakupo in nature. But why was he working for a being that had claimed so many lives in her vengeance? Perhaps she was tricking him in some way, taking advantage of his innocence. All the more reason for Kaito to be there and protect Gakupo.

 

Gakupo’s eyes went from the screen of the device to Kaito’s face, shocked. His brow burrowed. “I go, Kaito staying. No humans.”

 

“No,” Kaito repeated stubbornly. They stared wearily at each other, before Kaito pulled Gakupo into another hug. “I worry about you, that’s all. Please let me take care of you.”

 

The trees rustled nearby, loud in the resulting silence. Gakupo’s tail slithered along the ground, dancing nervously. Finally, he sighed. “We go…Tomorrow.”

 

“Tomorrow?”

 

“This is long journey, I need rest.” Probably hauling Kaito around required some effort on his part. No wonder he sang while they travelled, it was probably a spell to shoulder the extra weight.

 

So it was settled. They returned to the cave, Gakupo lied down to nap in his nest and Kaito was left to examine the items inside the cave at his leisure.

 

It truly was a crazy hotchpotch of things, more likely chosen because of their appearance rather than any prospective usefulness. There were a number of things that needed electricity to work, for instance, though in all likelihood they were broken in the first place. Kaito cringed as he compared his little apartment, full of comforts he barely used, to this literal hole in the ground. It wasn’t fair.

 

Beyond the flotsam and jetsam of humanity, there were other things of interest. Piled up in a corner behind a stalagmite, he found some furs, a couple of leather-bound notebooks and climbing equipment. That was rather odd. Why would Gakupo need ropes and pitons when he could fly? Though they could certainly serve Kaito.

 

_I’ll ask him when he wakes up if I can have these._

 

Next, he examined the notebooks. The paper inside was clearly hand-made; it had the texture he had seen in some artworks from the beachside stalls. The pages were covered in ochre-toned scratchy writings in the islander language, sometimes interspaced with crudely drawn maps.

 

Kaito sat down with them by the fire pit, drumming his fingers on the covers. There was something odd here. Gakupo had a native language; they were only using the Warm Isles language due to necessity. It made little sense that he would use a second language to write these notebooks, and then throw them in a corner to get moldy.

 

Unless they weren’t his in the first place…that would certainly explain why they were next to climbing equipment. Someone had been here with Gakupo at some point; someone that didn’t have wings and had to climb down to the valley on his or her own. Who were they? One of Gakupo’s friends?

 

Kaito again opened one of the notebooks and tried to decipher a random paragraph using his data assistant. As expected, it wasn’t easy. He tried several pages and gradually the nature of the writing became clearer. It was a journal detailing human movements along the remaining wild lands of the continent: new settlers, troops, reconnaissance missions…in short, all humans that encroached into the lands where fae hid.

 

So they belonged to a scout or a spy. But why were they so carelessly piled up in a corner like that? For a second, Kaito was tempted to wake Gakupo and ask him. But he quickly abandoned the idea. The endling needed to get back at full health; the demands of Kaito’s curiosity mattered little in contrast.

 

Hours passed by slowly. Kaito dug out a book from his pack and sat outside reading and occasionally eating a fruit. When he got thirsty, he carefully shimmied close to the waterfall and drank.

 

It was well into the afternoon when Gakupo emerged from the cave rubbing his eyes. “Hungry,” he declared.

 

“You said it,” Kaito replied, putting the book aside. The basket was empty by that point, as was his stomach.

 

Gakupo opened his arms wide; understanding the gesture, Kaito wrapped his arms around him. The fae smiled and jumped off the ledge, breaking out in song.

 

This time, they reached all the way down to the valley. Gakupo landed next to the river birthed by the waterfall, at a peaceful bend where a net crossed the waters. With Kaito’s help, the fae pulled the mesh to reveal two tangled fish. Gakupo prepared them right away with the help of some implements inside a chest under a nearby tree, peeling off skin and discarding useless parts with practiced precision. He wrapped the resulting fillets in fresh leaves of the same lettuce-plant from before, which seemed to grow in large groups by the riverside. Kaito stood nearby watching, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. It was the first time he had met his food _before_ it became food.

 

“I thought you only ate greens,” he commented to distract himself.

 

Gakupo looked up to him with puzzlement, forcing Kaito to repeat the statement with the use of the data assistant.

 

The reply was in islander, spoken slowly and carefully. _‘I prefer fruits and vegetables, true. But I need my strength back. Meat is better for that.’_

 

Gakupo washed the knives and placed them and the cleaned fish inside a small basket from inside the chest, alongside two small sacks of condiments.

 

Finally, the fae turned his back to the river and walked pulling Kaito along. There was a small clearing to their right, with a well-used campfire with a grill above it, some logs for seating and even a canopy suspended between four ancient-looking poles. Under it, more furs and cushions rested over a wooden platform. Some firewood waited close by.

 

_Okay, someone definitely must’ve used this valley at some point._ Their surroundings looked so much like a picnic area that Kaito glanced around, almost expecting a troupe of boy scouts to pass them by.

 

Gakupo promptly cooked the fish over the campfire, and he and Kaito sat under the canopy eating in silence. Despite the fact that it was nothing but fish with some salt and pepper, Kaito found it quite tasty.

 

After they were done, Gakupo pushed Kaito down and climbed on top of him, resting his head on Kaito's chest. Any desire to interpret this as an invitation was quelled when Kaito touched the endling's face: the fever hadn't gone down one bit, as far as he could tell.

 

"Your boss...Prima...she doesn't have any doctors at her place?” He took Gakupo's hand and pressed it to his heated forehead. "You are ill."

 

Gakupo grunted, although Kaito couldn't tell whether it was an answer or just an attempt to get him to shut up.

 

Well, too bad, but he wasn't about to drop the matter so easily _. 'This is not going to go away on its own. You need a healer,'_ he typed awkwardly in the data assistant, since Gakupo was above him, restricting his movements. Hopefully the word choice had been correct, since 'doctor' wasn’t in the list of words.

 

"...Yuki there."

 

"Yuki…Um, will Yuki make you not ill?"

 

"Yuki makes not ill, yes.”

 

“Good, that’s good,” Kaito said and kissed the top of Gakupo’s head. The fae nuzzled him in return, with a satisfied hum.

 

A loud growl cut the silence that followed; Gakupo barely had time to lift his head, with a face white as paper; a heartbeat later, he was _gone_ , ripped right out of Kaito’s arms by two massive claws.

 

Kaito jumped to his feet, mouth agape at the sight before him. A huge wolf-like creature was standing in the middle of the clearing on its hind legs, holding Gakupo aloft. The fae was fiercely twisting around trying to escape the wolf-man’s grip, beating his wings and shouting in his native tongue.

 

The wolf-man ignored the endling’s struggles and fixed his golden eyes on Kaito, snarling.

 

Kaito’s legs could barely hold his weight, all the sudden, and his heart seemed about to escape his body. And yet, the idea of abandoning Gakupo to his fate was too repulsive to even consider. Without giving himself time to consider what he was doing, he grabbed a log from the pile of firewood and ran forward. “Leave him alone!”

 

His heroic charge lasted only a few seconds, before the wolf-man nonchalantly kicked him in the stomach. Kaito went flying and hit a tree at the edge of the clearing. Stars exploded before Kaito’s eyes with the impact, adding dizziness to the burning pain in his gut.

 

“Kaito!” He heard the fae cry out.

 

_Gakupo, I’m coming…_ Kaito got as far as getting on all fours before the wolf-man appeared next to him, a predatory snarl displaying his sharp teeth. The beast had Gakupo slung over one shoulder; in any other situation, the sight of the fae’s legs kicking the air pointlessly would’ve been comical, but now it filled Kaito with anguish.

 

“Please, don’t-“ Kaito’s words were cut short when the wolf-man began savagely kicking him, each strike a harsher pain than anything he had ever experienced.

 

Gakupo was screaming his name again, but it sounded muffled and distant. Kaito was quickly slipping away from the world, pushed into unconsciousness. A second before he sank completely into blackness, something wet and cold touched his cheek. A crystalline voice sang, reverberating potently from across an undetermined distance. Oddly, it seemed to be calling him.

 

Kaito tried to reply, but it was too late; the assault had taken too much from him. He closed his eyes and rested his head on top of grass tinged by his own blood. The world was very cold around him.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

_Once upon a time, a little winged boy lived in a tree house with his father and mother. Others like them lived among the ancient trees of that forest, stringing songs from branch to branch, hailing the moon and thanking the sun._

 

_The boy’s world was very small back then. Just the forest and the mountain refuge where his parents liked to spend the harsh winters, nothing more. He knew nothing of the sea, he had never seen a dune or the stark tundra…or the shining cities of metal and concrete, encroaching ever closer._

 

_There was no real warning before the end. A whispered conversation here and there, words he had never heard before spat with fear or anger: ‘aberrant’, ‘deprived’, ’disjointed’ and worse. The adults around him used many names, but the boy never heard the actual name of the menace until much later._

 

_There was no time for explanations, when the invaders appeared wielding their terrible weapons: awful tubes of shiny metal, making horrible noises and creating even worse silences. Men and women fell from the skies like the leaves in autumn, wings paralyzed and throats constricted; every person the boy had ever known reduced to nothing. The boy’s father picked him up in his arms and tried to escape, but he was cut down like all the others. The invaders dug a big ditch and rolled everyone in, including the dying father with the boy in his arms. More bodies fell on top of them, heavy and wet._

 

‘ _Don’t move, don’t say a word,’ said the father with the last of his strength. And so the boy stayed still, even when the invaders came down to finish the ones crying out in pain. They walked by very close to the boy, crunching delicate wings under their boots, their weapons roaring repeatedly in triumph. But after a while, they simply left._

 

_Everything became very silent, as if they had killed every bird and animal in the forest. The sun shone above, and the boy felt hot and thirsty. However, he couldn’t escape the ditch with his father and the others trapping him with their bodies. A disgusting smell surrounded the boy, growing fouler by the minute._

 

_Uncountable ages after, he heard a very soft sound; from between the interstice of two rigid arms, he watched a huge creature descend into the ditch, sniffing the bodies. It was similar to the wolves of the northern end of the woods, but it stood in its two hind legs, and it was as big as a small tree._

 

_Could it be friendly? His father had told him the northern wolves would never harm a fledging like him, but this one was so odd looking. He tried calling out to it, but his mouth and tongue were so dry and swollen he could only let out a pitiful mewl._

 

_The ears of the wolf-like being twitched, and it quickly turned its head in his direction; its golden eyes surveyed the scenery with suspicion._

 

_With a supreme effort, the boy tried to call the beast again; the resulting groan was just as unintelligible, but at least somewhat louder._

 

_The beast approached his hiding spot, sniffing the bodies under his paws until it happened to see the portion of the boy’s face peeking from under his father’s torso. The luminous eyes widened, and it jumped forward. It quickly dug out the boy from the pile of bodies, and then held him at arm’s length, with an expression of disbelief._

 

“ _Thirsty,” the boy finally was able to mumble._

 

_The beast let out a strange sound, taken by surprise. Then it nodded several times, and jumped out of the ditch cradling the boy. It ran across the forest, but the boy kept his face pressed against the shaggy fur and couldn’t see where the beast was headed._

 

_A sudden stop and the gelid touch of water gave him the answer: they were by the river. The beast ripped apart the boy’s blood-soaked clothes and washed his body in the current, until it was satisfied that none of the blood was his. Then it wrapped him in a pelt and sat with him by a campfire. Using a goatskin flask, it fed him milk, little by little, until the thirst and hunger was gone. The boy fell asleep in the arms of the beast, completely drained._

 

_Much later, he woke up to find himself in a sort of cocoon of furs and rope strapped to the beast’s back. They were in a rocky terrain, with only a few squat trees. The boy looked around him in confusion, wondering what to do. Where was the wolf-like beast taking him?_

 

“ _Are you going to eat me?” The boy asked._

 

_The beast laughed gruffly. “A tiny morsel like you would get stuck between my teeth, pup. No, I’m not going to eat you.”_

 

“ _I’m not a pup,” the boy protested._

 

“ _What should I call you then?”_

 

“ _My name is Gakupo.”_

 

“ _Nice to meet you, Gakupo. I’m Goya the wolf-man. But you’re going to be my pup, from now on.”_

 

“ _I need to go back to my parents!”_

 

“ _They’re dead, pup. I’m sorry.”_

 

_It had been real. Every horrible part of it, and not some crazed nightmare. Even if the presence of the wolf-man made it obvious, the boy had still held a small ember of hope. But now it was gone. He burst into tears, squeezing his fists. The wolf-man ignored his sobs and kept traversing the wilderness in silence; in fact, there was no more conversation at all that day, not until they made camp for the night. The following day was almost as silent. Goya wasn’t one for lengthy conversations, it seemed. It suited the boy’s sullen mood nicely._

 

_For a long, long time after, the boy’s heart mourned the loss of his people, even as their faces began to blur in his mind. But he gradually grew accustomed to his life alongside the uncouth wolf-man, as they wandered the last wild places of the earth together._

 

_It was a different type of happiness, but happiness nonetheless, at least for a while._

 

 

***

 

 

Something smelled quite good nearby. It reminded Kaito of home; his father was rather good at flower arrangements, and he always made sure that each room had what he called a ‘green presence.’ His little apartment wasn’t at all suited for that kind of thing, though. So why could he smell flowers so close to his bed?

 

Kaito opened his eyes and examined his surroundings. Quite clearly, he wasn’t anywhere familiar. In fact, the scenery was so peculiar that he wondered for a second if he was still asleep.

 

He was inside a cave, but instead of the relatively untouched nature of Gakupo’s abode, this one showed extensive work done to it in order to be a comfortable bedroom. Its walls, floor and ceiling were smooth and clean of most stalactites and stalagmites. The ones that remained had been carved into decorative statues of dragons. Kaito rested on an equally decorated bed; to his right there was a chest, to his left a bench, with his clothes neatly folded above it next to his backpack. A small table near the bed had a ceramic vase with flowers. The furniture was wooden and very clearly handmade, but relatively normal; on the other hand, the iridescent cluster of crystals serving as chandelier in the ceiling certainly wasn't. It filled the room with clear white light, only slightly weaker than a fluorescent tube.

 

The magical source of light was enough to convince Kaito that he was in a fae hideout. But to make that fact even more obvious, the roughly cylindrical rock wall that encircled the bedroom opened into an arched doorway in front of him, allowing him a good look at the massive space beyond.

 

The bedroom was annexed to a huge circular cave housing an underground lake. Pillars of quartz of different heights emerged from the surface, connected by silvery chains. Daylight, in the form of gradually weakened shafts of brilliance, fell from a point far too elevated for Kaito to see from his position. By itself, the natural light was insufficient to illuminate the whole cavern, but balls of multicolored fire floated in the air all around the space, painting the stony surfaces with many tones. Thanks to them, Kaito could see many doorways like his leading into darkness, some well above the floor of the cave. There was one exception: almost opposite from his position, one opening casted white light on the dusty ground. It was hard to see any details within, but the room beyond the opening looked as deserted as the bare shores of the underground lake.

 

Was he the only person around? Where was Gakupo? What about the wolf-man? Kaito’s hand gripped the small velvet bag hanging from his neck and he jumped out of the bed determined to find the fae. However, before he even began putting on his clothes, it dawned on Kaito that something wasn’t right…or maybe it was more accurate to say that everything was too right.

 

Standing there in his underwear, it was clear that the skin of his stomach, chest and arms was almost completely devoid of bruising; perhaps more importantly, his head was remarkably free of bumps and his blood was safely inside of his body. Considering the beating the wolf-man had given him, it was more than a little surprising.

 

_So someone bothered to heal me, for whatever reason…Ah, I’ll worry about that later. I need to rescue Gakupo._

 

Kaito dressed quickly and examined the contents of his pack. Everything was there except the data assistant and the charger. He shouldered the bag and cautiously peeked outside, flashlight on hand. Now that he was standing by the doorway, it was clear that the lake was at the bottom of a large drop. Far, far above, Kaito could see a big hole festooned by vegetation. Large vines hanged from its edges. After his awe subsided somewhat, he examined the cavern, until he became convinced that the only movement outside was the endless dance of the flames in midair.

 

 _Where should I go?_ The illuminated doorway seemed like an obvious choice, and hence Kaito suspected it. Yet the idea of getting lost inside of the unlit underground tunnels seemed even less inviting. He began circling the lake, walking slowly and close to the cave wall, in order to stay away from the balls of fire. As he went along, he shone his flashlight into the darkened rooms inside. Some were bedrooms as the one he had woken up in; others seemed dining halls, living rooms or places of study. A few were simply the beginning of long hallways and narrow passages. The common element among them was the aura of decay and abandonment: dust reigned supreme over the fae refuge.

 

The illuminated doorway turned out to be the entrance to a tunnel, somewhat larger than the other hallways Kaito had passed. Curiously, warmer air seemed to flow from it, drenched in a smell couldn’t identify. Perhaps the passage led to thermal vents. Kaito advanced slowly, dearly wishing he had a weapon, any weapon at all.

 

 _Preferably one loaded with silver bullets._ Kaito wasn’t sure the old myth about wolf-men was correct, but it seemed a good moment to find out.

 

Step by step, the air of the passage grew warmer and thicker. Kaito turned a corner, sniffing the vaguely sulfuric air with distaste. Without warning, the light of his flashlight illuminated a familiar silhouette.

 

Gakupo was coming towards him from the other end of the passage, carrying a basket of fruits. One of the balls of fire hovered above his head, illuminating his path and tingeing his white pants and cape with a bluish hue. Thankfully, the endling seemed completely unharmed and healthy. He had a distracted expression on his face, barely giving his surroundings any notice; it took him a couple seconds to raise his face and notice the human in his way. When he did, his eyes widened and the basket fell from his hands, spilling berries everywhere. Gakupo stared guiltily at Kaito and took a few steps back; it seemed almost as if reading himself to bolt in the other direction.

 

"Gakupo! What's wrong?!" Kaito asked, closing in.

 

The endling grimaced, letting his gaze fall again to the ground. Then, abruptly, he kneeled down, touching the stone floor with his forehead. "Please forgive me for getting you involved in my troubles, Kaito Fuuga. I will return you to the city as soon as you are ready to travel," he pronounced the words slowly but clearly; it was without question a memorized speech.

 

Kaito ran forward and kneeled beside the prostrated fae. He pulled him into a hug, with no resistance of any kind. The fae seemed like as unresponsive as a doll in his arms. "What are you talking about? We need to get out of here before that wolf-man finds us!"

 

For a while, the endling didn't reply nor move. When Kaito tried to make him meet his gaze, Gakupo again evaded his eyes. "…I was so scared you won't wake up," he finally muttered.

 

 _Wait..."_ How long was I unconscious?"

 

Gakupo bit his lip, fighting back and ultimately losing to a surge of emotion. He threw his arms around Kaito's neck, saying in a choked voice, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I should've known Goya come check on me when the return spell became spent! I'm sorry!" The words became more and more unintelligible as he continued to apologize, drowning in his thick accent, but the jump in language proficiency was staggering. That made Kaito suspect he had enjoyed the hospitality of the fae hideout for a while.

 

"It's okay, shhh. Let's get out of here before whatshisname comes back, we'll talk things over later."

 

"I distinctly recall ordering you to bring the human to me once he woke up, Gakupo," a voice above them suddenly interjected. Kaito lifted his eyes to look at the ball of fire, surprised, and Gakupo flinched. "Escort him to my hall immediately."

 

As if pulled by wires, Gakupo rose, pulling Kaito up by the hand. "Let's go."

 

"Wait, who’s-" Before Kaito could finish the sentence, he had the answer right on his lips. "Prima."

 

Gakupo nodded, tight-lipped.

 

“The cave back there leads to the outside, right? Let’s fly out of here!” Kaito whispered urgently, pointing in the direction of the underwater lake.

 

Prima laughed. The sound seemed to come from the ball of fire, but at the same time there was an echo in the distance, along with a slight disturbance of the air and a barely perceptible rumbling. “I just want to talk, little human. I promise I won’t eat you.”

 

Kaito considered. On one hand, her condescending tone irritated him, particularly the dismissive way she addressed Gakupo. On the other hand, arrogance was a characteristic typical of her kind. Perhaps from her point of view, she was being perfectly civil, even kind. And the opportunity to meet the most despised non-human of them all was actually intriguing, in a morbid sort of way.

 

“…All right, lead the way,” he said, squeezing Gakupo’s hand.

 

“I’m sorry,” Gakupo whispered again, before turning back towards the far end of the corridor.

 

Fae and human began walking in silence, ignoring the basket and fruits on the floor. The ball of fire dutifully followed them, mixing its light with the shine of Kaito’s flashlight. The passage gradually became more inclined, its walls rougher, and the air warmer and warmer, giving Kaito the impression that he was approaching a huge furnace. He pulled at his muffler, discomfited. “Um, by the way, where’s my data assistant?” He asked to distract himself from the uncomfortable heat.

 

Gakupo patted the small satchel hanging from his belt with his free hand. “Data Assistant taught me a lot of things while you were asleep.” He inclined his head. “Do you want her back right now?”

 

“Ah, no, that’s okay, you can have, um…Her. I’ll buy a new one when I get back to the city.” _If I return…Prima might burn me to a crisp when she’s done talking._

 

“Thanks,” Gakupo replied, a small smile coming to his lips. He kissed Kaito’s cheek and quickly added in a whisper, lips grazing the skin, “If in trouble, I’ll get you out. I’ll protect you.” That done, he moved away and resumed walking, staring ahead innocently.

 

 _I should be the one vowing to protect you_ …It was hard to believe that Gakupo was involved with such unsavory creatures. The different kinds of non-humans weren’t nearly as friendly towards each other in the old days, before the technological revolution allowed humanity to claim dominance. Times had truly changed.

 

The tunnel made a sharp turn to the right. The short stretch that followed was illuminated by a red glow that surpassed both the flashlight and the floating ball of fire. To Kaito, it seemed as if he was entering hell. Then again, there were western sects that regarded all non-humans as demons, so it was rather fitting.

 

A few steps more, and the walls of the passage gave way to a cavern, so tall that even the warm glow couldn’t reveal its ceiling. To the left and right of Kaito, the curved walls revealed more passages coming from all directions, but he gave them just a cursory glance, before the being in the center of the cavern demanded his complete attention.

 

Like many humans of his day and age, Kaito had never been in the presence of a large predator. And Prima was enormity and desolation, claws and black scales and a hint of fire between long teeth, and intense eyes that pierced him. Prima the dragon, the horrific beast that had leveled a complete city after some idiots decided to set up an exhibition with her mate’s bones. She was curled up over many eggs that glowed like embers: the source of the warm light, each one pulsing with life.

 

 _Gakupo was being sincere to that girl…here be dragons._ Not only they had survived the attacks of the military, a new generation of beasts was waiting to wreak havoc across the world. Despite the heat, Kaito felt a shiver come down his spine.

 

"Welcome, little human. Come here," the dragon said, and Kaito could feel the power of her tones rumbling in his chest. He gripped Gakupo's hand even tighter, and they both stepped forward, until they were between Prima's massive talons. Gakupo kneeled again, touching the ground with his forehead, while Kaito stood awkwardly, only belatedly remembering to turn off his flashlight.

 

Prima lowered her massive head, and the warmth and sulfuric smell intensified. With effort, Kaito kept himself from gagging, although he was unable to stop his trembling. He focused his eyes on a random scale of Prima's shiny black coat, to avoid the mesmerizing eyes.

 

When Prima's jaws were at a terrifyingly close distance from his head, she breathed in deeply. After a moment, she chuckled lightly, causing another movement of air. Kaito's blue hair danced crazily in the displaced hot current. "Yes, you'll do nicely. Aren't you glad Gakupo? Your error turned into a good opportunity for us," the dragon said in a satisfied tone.

 

"Yes, Prima," the endling replied mechanically. He straightened his back, but his gaze remained stoically fixed on the ground.

 

"In light of this, I believe I can forego your punishment."

 

"Merciful."

 

"What? Error, punishment, what are you talking about?!" Kaito interjected. The exchange had rekindled his irritation at Prima's tone, and some of that anger reflected on his voice, despite how unwise that was.

 

Prima puffed another whiff of scalding air. “He used the return spell I gave him, when he saved you from the men of the Pale Line. He was supposed to surrender to them and only use the spell when he found his target.”

 

The more Kaito considered the implications of what the dragon was saying, the more the little niggling details that had been bothering him made sense. And yet, the idea of Gakupo in the hands of those men was appalling. “Why would you want him to get caught?”

 

“The Pale Line gathers non-humans as tools for the debauchery of the rich. That alone would be cause enough for me to destroy them, if I knew where to find them. But they work covertly, and the easiest way to track them was to present them with a succulent prize. Gakupo is not only pleasant to the human eye, but he could mate with the female fae they have in their power, to breed more slaves for them. I knew they wouldn’t be able to resist.” The dragon narrowed her eyes. “Without your intervention, it would’ve been a success.”

 

“Sorry about that,” Kaito said in an insincere tone.

 

“You don’t know how important this matter is. There is more to this than simple revenge. They have her."

 

“Her?”

 

“Titania, our queen,” Gakupo interjected. He looked gravelly at Kaito. “They took our queen.”

 

“Titania has been turned into a plaything, the last insult to all that breathe magic,” Prima growled. The low rumbling made dust fall from the invisible ceiling. “They mock us and they cripple us, keeping the key to the beautiful land beyond our reach.”

 

“Look, I told Gakupo...Titania died ages ago, I’ve seen the body.”

 

“You saw _a_ Titania. All the queens take that name when they ascend into the role. The fae that is meant to take the mantle is like a hidden lantern, calling to us…but we don’t know the way.” Prima’s voice abruptly adopted a sugary tone that was rather unsettling, when she added, “You could help us find her. You have a touch of non-human in you, but you know the world of men and their technology. Use their wondrous tools against them.”

 

Kaito’s mind had stopped accepting new inputs after her second phrase reached his ears. A touch of non-human, she said?

 

Prima again chuckled. "Once upon a time, one of your ancestors went into the deep wilderness of your homeland. There, she met a boy with blue hair and clawed hands that nevertheless knew how to be gentle. They spent a night of pure joy together and you are the result. You are what we need to survive, son of human girl, son of mountain ogre."

 

Kaito gasped, and his eyes briefly left Prima's belly to meet her gaze, before he remembered how dangerous it was to look a dragon in the eye. He stared at his own shoes, his mind in a whirl.

 

He had always known it was likely that one of his ancestors had committed an indiscretion. Even though at some points in history the relations between humans and the other sapient species weren't as bad as the present, he now had to carry the burden of what had become a sin. Luckily, his hair was the only indication that something was wrong with him, so most people back home just assumed he was a juvenile delinquent or a misfit. It made finding friends difficult, but it was better than to be seen as a half-breed. Kaito had often told himself that he was used to it, but hearing his defect so plainly stated was still a bitter pill to swallow.

 

The dragon continued, completely uncaring. “You look human enough to pass unnoticed, but I can store spells inside of you like I did with Gakupo. And unlike him, you know the technology of the humans. You will use you gifts and find Titania for us.”

 

"You're asking me to do a very dangerous thing," Kaito grumbled. If that even constituted asking in the first place. But he was beginning to see where the conversation was headed.

 

"If you refuse, I'll send Gakupo out there again on his own. Those men might be savages, but he knows his sacrifice is worth it." She gave a toothy smile. "You know that, Gakupo?"

 

"Yes, Prima." The whisper didn't give any indications of what the fae really thought of the matter.

 

"I won't leave him alone!" Kaito cried out, just as he was expected to do. He knew it, but he didn't care. He was going to protect his endling, no matter what.

 

"Good. Once Yuki judges you're fully healed, we'll start with the magic infusions." Her powerful gaze turned to the kneeling fae. "She and Goya will be back later today, take him back to your room for now. He's not to wander around the tunnels unsupervised." She closed her eyes, evidently done with them.

 

The fae again whispered an acknowledgment and stood up. He and Kaito silently headed towards the tunnel, hand in hand.

 

Only when there were back in the solitary underground lake did Kaito ask, "Why do you serve her? She treats you like dirt!"

 

Gakupo stopped, his free hand resting on the curved stonewall, and he observed Kaito quizzically. "Dirt?"

 

"Badly, I mean."

 

The fae's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "But she's a powerful dragon and our leader. I'm nothing aside Prima."

 

"That's no reason to treat you like that! Without you, what would she do to find this queen of yours?"

 

Gakupo looked at the balls of fire dancing over the lake and over their heads with apprehension, and Kaito realized too late that the dragon was probably listening to their every word.

 

"Don't worry, I'm going to help Gakupo." He said out loud, stressing the last word. The only response was a slight hint of a huff.

 

A few minutes afterwards, they reached the room where Kaito woke up. The ball of fire left them to join the others above the waters, and Gakupo pulled a heavy curtain over the door; that was as much privacy as they were likely to get in that place.

 

Kaito took off his backpack and dropped onto the bed with a groan of frustration. “How did you get involved with that conceited overgrown gecko?”

 

Gakupo kneeled next to him. “Prima?” His expression suggested that he didn’t understand that those words were an insult.

 

“Yes, Prima. Come here.”

 

Gakupo obediently draped himself over him and hid his face in Kaito's neck. He remained silent for a while, before finally mumbling, "Goya adopted me after…long ago. He works for Prima, going from place to place, visiting last living of us."

 

"And he was fine with you embarking in this mission?" Fine parent he was, if that was the case.

 

"I didn't ask for permission. Not fine."

 

That made more sense. After all, he had gone absolutely bonkers when he saw his child in a compromising position with a human.

 

"I still don't get why you would agree to something like this. Don't you understand what those men would do to you?"

 

Gakupo sighed. "I wanted to feel necessary."

 

“What do you mean?”

 

The answer didn’t come right away; obviously the fae didn’t actually want to elaborate further. After Kaito insisted, Gakupo pulled out the data assistant to check for a couple of words before he again hid his face in Kaito’s neck. Another deep sigh later, he continued mutedly, “…I survived all of my kind…Why me? I keep asking, but I have no answer.”

 

“And here I thought our communication problems were behind us,” Kaito said softly. He gently pried Gakupo off him, enough to see him in the eye. “Why shouldn’t be you the one to survive?”

 

The endling didn’t reply.

 

“Maybe we were meant to find one another, how about that?” Kaito asked with a small smile.

 

“You make joke of me,” Gakupo said sulking.

 

“Not at all.” Kaito pressed their foreheads together. “Perhaps it’s selfish of me to phrase it like this, but I’m very happy to be with you, right here and now.” The corners of Gakupo’s mouth twitched a little at this, even if his mood still seemed subdued. It was more than enough encouragement for Kaito, who added, “the proper thing to say right now would be ‘me too’ or something like that.”

 

Gakupo stared at him fleetingly, before he tilted his face slightly and kissed Kaito, which probably was an even better way of conveying his thoughts. He rested his head on Kaito’s chest, grinning.

 

Kaito ran his fingers through Gakupo's hair reflexively; it felt silkier than silk, lighter than a drop of dew on his skin. He moved past the shiny strands, then his fingertips rubbed the skin around the spot where instead of an ear, purple feathers adorned the fae's head. Gakupo made a small sound in response, almost like a purr.

 

"So what does Goya think about us? Did you tell him we...you know..."

 

Gakupo stiffened. "Not fine."

 

"Because I'm human?"

 

"Part of it, yes."

 

"Just part of it?"

 

"Goya should decide my mate, he thinks."

 

"Huh." Having a parent arrange your marriage without your input wasn’t exactly unheard of, especially in traditional parts of the East, but it was strange to see it in action here of all places. “I guess he’s just looking out for you.”

 

“Looking out? He knows I’m here.”

 

“No, I mean he wants to find someone good for you, you know?”

 

Gakupo actually gave a little derisive snort at this. “Goya controls. Pup knows nothing, he says. Pup is small and stupid.” His voice was equal parts angry and defiant, but even without seeing his face Kaito could tell his attitude was hiding a deep sadness.

 

“Gakupo…” The last thing Kaito wanted was to poke at fresh wounds, but he couldn’t let this slide. He had assumed Goya’s attack had been an extreme reaction of an overprotective parent, but this painted a different picture. “Did Goya ever do anything to you?”

 

Gakupo straightened up, looking at him with a weird, undecipherable expression. “Not now.”

I took a second for Kaito to realize Gakupo was saying that he didn’t want to talk about it at that moment. “Sorry, it’s not any of my business.” He raised his hands in surrender.

 

Gakupo stared at him with narrowed eyes and eyed the curtain acting as door. Kaito almost expected him to fly out of the room, but he simply rested on top of him as before. The silence of the room had definitely taken another quality, however.

 

_There’s so much about him I don’t know. Perfect understanding may not necessary for us to be together, but it sure would help._

 

To steer them away from the uncomfortable mood, Kaito decided to ask Gakupo about the fae refuge. With the help of the data assistant, the endling informed him that until a few decades prior, it had been home to a community of dark fae. He had no idea when Prima moved in, but it had been after the upper levels had been abandoned. As far as Gakupo knew, dark fae were completely extinct. At the present time, the only permanent inhabitants were Prima, Yuki and a clan of deep dwellers that lived in the lower levels serving the dragon. Other non-humans like Goya and Gakupo came and went, so the endling didn’t know exactly how many followers Prima had.

 

The conversation was cut short when a series of noises outside attracted Gakupo’s attention. “They’re here,” he exclaimed, and jumped off the bed. He then sat on the bench preening his feathers with a neutral expression on his face.

 

 _I guess he doesn’t want Goya to see us cuddling again._ It was probably a good idea. Kaito sat up on the bed, hiding a little smile. It was curious in a way, how unafraid he felt of the huge beast man, despite of the beating. But there was nothing here, fur, scales, claws or fire, which could dissuade him from staying at Gakupo’s side.

 

He’d come this far, after all.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Two voices grew in volume outside, signaling the approach of Yuki and Goya. The girl’s tenuous, mellow tones seemed vaguely familiar to Kaito. If she had healed him, it probably was to be expected.

 

Goya’s clawed hands moved the curtain aside, and his big furry head peeked inside. He sniffed the air almost imperceptibly, as he glanced suspiciously from Kaito to Gakupo and back, and then moved aside to let Yuki walk into the room. Presumably due to his size, he made no move to go inside. 

 

The pale girl that entered was wrapped in an embroidered white robe, immaculate but well worn. It clearly had once belonged to someone much larger, and even though it had been mended and tailored to fit her small frame, the hem and sleeves still trailed after her, sweeping the floor. Her black hair was sprinkled with tiny snow crystals, catching the light.

 

<Good day, Kaito, I’m Yuki. How are you feeling today?> The girl spoke in Japanese, with the ease of a native speaker.

 

<Hm, fine, thank you for your interest> Kaito replied, barely bothering to hide his surprise. Was she a snow woman? How did she end up here in the west?

 

<I was born across the sea, as you can probably guess. My father was a human researcher, he brought me here before he passed away,> the girl explained anticipating his questions.

 

<Ah, sorry about your loss.>

 

<It's okay. Let me examine you. Please remove your shirt.>

 

Yuki's hands were unpleasantly cold, but she only needed the briefest of touches before she stepped back, satisfied. <You're doing quite well. I think Prima should be able to start the process tomorrow.>

 

<You guys seem pretty sure I'd join you,> Kaito commented, rubbing the icy spots of skin where Yuki had touched him.

 

The girl looked at him quizzically. <Why wouldn't you? The Pale Line are villains.>

 

<All the more reason someone would be wary of approaching them, if they are so dangerous.>

 

<I saw you rushing to defend Gakupo against an enemy you had no hope of defeating. You aren't the type to simply stand aside and watch others suffer.> Yuki said with conviction, and a rather surprising grasp of vocabulary for someone of her apparent age.

 

<You were there?> Then it _had_ been her voice, calling out to him before he passed out.

 

<Goya asked me to come with him to retrieve Gakupo, in case he was hurt.> Yuki glanced at the fae, who was looking at them with a look of burning curiosity.

 

<You saved me, I'm truly thankful.> Kaito bowed, but the girl just waved a hand, dismissing the gesture with a smile.

 

<Goya overreacted. I'm glad I was there to prevent something terrible from happening.> She opened her little bag and handed him a small potion vial. <Drink this and rest. Try not to do anything too strenuous for the rest of the day, ok?> Her tone of voice and another glance at Gakupo immediately clarified what she meant by those words.

 

<If you don't mind me saying this, you don't sound like a small girl.> Kaito remarked.

 

<You'd be surprised if I told you how old I am.> Yuki smiled mischievously. <My body develops at a much slower rate than a human child.>

 

<I'll be a gentleman and not ask your age, then.>

 

The snow woman chuckled, hiding her mouth behind her sleeve, before shaking her head. <I'm starting to see why Gakupo likes you so much...>

 

Kaito stole a glance at Gakupo, whose tail had perked up upon hearing his name mentioned again. He was starting to look very much like a kitten watching a prey just out of reach. <What did he say about me?> Kaito asked, blushing slightly.

 

<Oh, you completely swept him off his feet, coming to save him from the cage of silence like you did. Goya almost exploded when he heard him speak of you!> Yuki laughed again.

 

<How so?> Kaito felt his cheeks burning, as his blood rushed violently through his body. But Yuki just shook her head.

 

<I'm sure the words will taste sweeter coming from him.> With another little laugh, she approached the door. <Take good care of Gakupo out there in the world of man, Kaito Fuuga. He's more important than it seems.>

 

<I'll stake my life on it.>

 

<That's good to hear. Every king needs a faithful knight.> Yuki then spoke a few lines of islander language directed at Gakupo, nodded at them both and exited the room.

 

King? She didn't mean that literally, did she? Kaito stared at the door, perplexed. He was about to make a comment to Gakupo about it when Goya again peeked inside. The wolf-man showed his teeth at Kaito, before saying something in a guttural tone to Gakupo. The fae reluctantly stood up and went to the doorway.

 

"I'll come back later, rest." Gakupo said with a quick glance before disappearing past the doorframe. Goya gave Kaito a sneer before drawing the curtain back in place.

 

Kaito leaned back on the bed, frustrated, but his bad mood only last for a while. Gakupo was coming back to the city with him, after all. Mission or not, the two of them were going to be well beyond the reach of Goya's meddling. He could afford to be patient. With a shrug, he sat back up and reached for his bag. He would read for a while until Gakupo returned.

 

***

 

As it turned out, Goya managed to keep Gakupo away from Kaito until the next day, when it was time to return to Prima's chamber below. Both fae and human rested on stone slabs, while Prima chanted over them in what probably was the draconic tongue. If anything, the process was kind of tedious. Kaito had vaguely wondered if magic would sting or tingle, and there was something of that effect, but nothing dramatic seemed to be happening. At best, it felt like being in the middle of an electrically charged room. He even napped from time to time, lulled by the seemingly endless stream of mysterious words.

 

Hours passed by. There were no meals, but the fae and him were allowed to sip some water in complete silence. Kaito's hunger grew more and more ravenous, until it strangely seemed to mellow out, as if his body was tired of making the same demands. Down in Prima's cave, there was no way to measure time; Kaito soon lost any notion of day and night.

 

How could doing nothing be so exhausting? Kaito had no idea, but soon enough all he wanted was a bowl of hot soup and to crawl back in bed. Even his intermittent naps on the stone slab seemed only to tire him further. By the time Prima finally stood back, he felt so wobbly he doubted he could walk away on his own.

 

"That's enough for today." Prima turned her massive head to the right; the wolf-man was there, seated under one of the stone arches that lead into her cavern. "Take them back to the upper level. We'll continue tomorrow."

 

Goya nodded and carefully lifted Gakupo from the slab, cradling him against his wide chest. Gakupo seemed to be dozing off; he mumbled something unintelligible but didn't open his eyes. The wolf-man approached Kaito with an expression of distaste, giving the human ample time to wonder if he was going to be dragged by the muffler all the way back to the lake. But no, Goya just held Gakupo with one arm, a task simple enough given their respective sizes, and placed Kaito under his other arm.

 

"I'm not a sack of potatoes, you know," Kaito feebly protested. 

 

The wolf-man didn't bother with a reply; after nodding to Prima, he turned and began walking.

Due to his size, he used a different path to the underground lake, although Kaito had little opportunity to examine the surroundings, given the lack of light and the fact he was forced to stare at the ground, hanging from Goya's furry arm like a ragdoll.

 

They emerged from one of the dark doorways next to the lake, and a few minutes later Goya nonchalantly dumped Kaito before his temporary bedroom. The beast man resumed walking without any parting words, not interested in whether Kaito had the strength to reach his bed or not.

 

"No worries, I'll get in there somehow..." Kaito said, again to no effect- Goya seemed to be determined to ignore him. Of course, the youth had experience with this kind of treatment back home, but this time around he wasn't about to roll over and take it without at least a comment.

 

_Once we go back to the city, I'll have Gakupo all to myself,_ Kaito thought as the big figure retreated along the side of the lake. _You might be as well get used to the idea, furball._

 

Cautiously, Kaito made his way inside the bedroom leaning on the wall. Dragging his feet like a sloth, he finally reached the bed; a small pause to kick off his shoes and then Kaito got under the covers, yawning.

 

After what seemed only a second, he felt a hand lightly touch his shoulder. Gakupo was sitting next to him, with a basket on his lap. Goya's enormous head was staring sourly at them through the door.

 

"Good morning, how are you feeling?" Gakupo asked, handing him an apple and a jug of milk.

 

"Good morning," Kaito replied before taking a big bite. After swallowing, he added, "Thanks, I really needed that. I feel fine, I guess. Sort of ...I don't know, restless?"

 

"I know. Magic wants to come out."

 

"Hmm." Kaito hummed and took another bite. Admittedly, he would've preferred one of his father's Japanese-style breakfasts, but fruit would have to do. He shrugged internally and finished the apple with several quick bites. He next drank from the jug of milk, making a face. It tasted kind of odd, and it wasn't sweetened at all.

 

"Is something wrong?" Gakupo asked.

 

"No, no...It’s fine, this- this isn't cow milk, right?"

 

"We don't have cows." Gakupo frowned. "No grazing land."

 

"Yeah, I guess that would be difficult. And you can't exactly fly over to the closest supermarket. Sorry, I don't want to seem picky."

 

"No issue," Gakupo said shaking his head with a smile. He handed some sweet berries to Kaito that did a good job of removing the odd taste from his mouth, thankfully.

 

Suddenly, Goya spat out some irascible words; despite his ignorance of the language, Kaito could clearly feel the impatience in his tone. "We shouldn't keep Prima waiting," Gakupo added hurriedly, "Are you done?"

 

"I don't know if this can keep me going all day, to be honest. Can't we at least have a break for lunch?"

 

"I'll ask Prima. Come on." Gakupo stood and moved away to let Kaito get up.

 

“Gah, I shouldn’t have slept with my clothes on. I feel…not so fresh.” Kaito patted his white jacket, cringing. “I don’t suppose you have showers around here?”

 

The endling shook his head.

 

“And I don’t have time to wash myself in the lake or something?”

 

Goya growled.

 

“Ok, ok, let’s go!” Kaito waved his arms, resisting the urge to respond in a more sarcastic fashion.

 

Placated, Goya disappeared from the doorway. Gakupo gave Kaito a quick kiss then trotted after his adoptive father.

 

_And that_ also _isn’t enough to satisfy me_ , Kaito thought to himself with a small smile and followed them.

 

***

 

Hours later (perhaps it was the afternoon, perhaps already night), Prima finally declared them ready to return to the city.  “Aside from the transportation spell, I’ve given you both glamour spells. Try it, little human.”

 

Kaito sat on the slab, feeling extraordinarily woozy. What was he supposed to do, exactly?

 

“Listen.” Gakupo sat up as well and strung together five notes in a short melody. Like a reflection on a disturbed pool, his image rippled and shifted into one of a dark-haired human. His long ponytail had just a touch of his normal purple hue.

 

Kaito tried to replicate the tune. After a couple of tries, he felt an odd flash of heat on his hands and forehead. In a blink of an eye, his human hands had changed, gaining a rough appearance and long vicious nails. He rubbed the skin of one with the other, and it felt different as well, but it was hard to pinpoint why. He then touched his head gingerly, and found two small horns pushing his blue locks aside.

 

“This is not a true transformation. Don’t be too confident or overuse it.” Prima warned them. “If a human already knows of your true identity and is really perceptive, they will be able to see through the disguise if you directly confront them.”

 

“But what about him? I know that Gakupo isn’t human, but-“ Kaito gestured towards the endling; immediately, the spell over Gakupo dissipated. The fae chuckled and bated his wings.

 

“Exactly like that,” Prima remarked. “As much as possible, try to avoid thinking about it or you’ll affect the spell.”

 

“And how do I make these go away?” Kaito rubbed one of the horns.

 

“Sing the melody backwards,” Prima scoffed, sounding almost incredulous of the fact she had to explain such a thing.

 

Kaito tried it, and immediately his hands and forehead returned to normal. “I’m not sure something this flimsy is going to help,” Kaito grumbled.

 

“Then use whatever tools you prefer,” the dragon replied without a drop of interest. “We are done here. You leave in the morning.”

 

Goya stepped forward to carry them to the upper floors in the same manner as the day before: Gakupo carefully cradled against his chest, Kaito hanging from his arm. This time the blue-haired youth didn't bother commenting. Clearly nothing aside from imprudent behavior was going to make Goya react to him, and he wasn't about to insult Gakupo's father (to his face).

 

***

 

After a night of dreamless sleep, Kaito woke up feeling rather excited. Despite the cold of the lake outside, he gave himself a proper bath and returned shivering to the room. He couldn’t change his complete outfit, but just having a clean body and fresh shirt and undergarments was enough to keep him from feeling like a complete bum. Around half an hour later, Goya and Gakupo showed up; this time, the basket in Gakupo’s hands was almost bursting with food, probably for the journey ahead, and Goya was carrying a tray with a hearty breakfast. Perhaps they were finally catching on how much food a human needed to survive.

 

“Do you miss the city?” Gakupo asked Kaito over breakfast.

 

“Living there is pretty convenient, I gotta say. Not that this place is horrible or anything, it just needs a good cleanup.”

 

“I wish I saw it when dark fae were here,” the endling stated, playing with the feathers at the end of his tail.

 

“I bet it was quite the sight.” Kaito then finished his salad. “Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask- how are we going to get back, how far is the city?”

 

Gakupo turned his gaze to Goya, who was sitting just outside the bedroom. “Goya carries.”

 

“Really?” Kaito eyed the wolf-man with barely concealed skepticism. Goya bared his fangs at him soundlessly.

 

“Can’t carry you all way,” Gakupo explained pointing to his own chest.

 

“Oh, yes, no problem, I understand,” Kaito replied quickly. _It’s just going to be pretty slow getting there._

“Goya is very fast,” the fae reassured him, catching on to Kaito’s expression.

 

“Well, let's see how it goes.” Kaito pushed aside the empty plate and stood up.

 

Goya lead the way towards yet another dark doorway by the lake. One of the dancing fires dangled over his head, painting his fur with red tones. The ascent was unremarkable, and before Kaito knew it, he was under a clear blue sky, enjoying a mild breeze. The landscape was very mountainous, and he couldn’t see any signs of civilization. Incongruously, to the right of the exit was a small snowy patch of earth, surrounded by bushes glittering with frost. Yuki stood in the center; she bowed slightly with she saw the trio gaze in her direction.

 

<I came to see you off, my friends.> She then spoke in islander, presumably to repeat the phrase for Goya and Gakupo.

 

Each of the three responded in some fashion: a curt nod from Goya, excited muttering and a brief bow from Gakupo and a more formal salute from Kaito.

 

Yuki walked towards the human, making crunching sounds due to the snow under her feet. In her hands there was a small silk pouch. She handed it over to Kaito with a smile.

 

<Healing powder; it hastens a body’s recovery if you make an infusion with it.>

 

<Thank you.>

 

<I hope you don’t need to use it, but it’s better to be prepared.>

 

Kaito spared a glance at Gakupo, waiting near the wolf-man. <I’ll keep him safe, I promise.>

 

<Take care of yourself as well, young man,> Yuki replied teasingly. <I don’t want to see Gakupo sad.>

 

<Yes, ma’am. We’ll return before you know it.>

 

<I’ll be waiting. Now go before Goya gnashes his teeth into dust.>

 

<See you soon.> Kaito tucked the small pouch inside his pocket and returned to the fae and beast man. “How are we going to do this?” He asked to Gakupo. He didn’t relish the idea of Goya carrying him under one arm for hours.

 

“See the harness?” Gakupo waved his hand in Goya’s direction. Now that he mentioned it, he was wearing something like a backpack of leather, fur and sticks. Goya silently turned away from them and kneeled.

 

“We are going to ride him?!” Kaito sputtered, almost laughing.

 

“Is problem?” Gakupo asked innocently.

 

“Erm…No, if he doesn’t mind. Hm, how do I get inside that?”  Kaito recovered from his surprise.

 

“Here,” Gakupo opened the ‘backpack’ and helped the human get inside, then climbed after him. It was unlike any form of transportation Kaito had ever experienced, undoubtedly. Once the straps were back in place, it felt a bit like being inside a fur-lined basket. Perhaps to reassure Kaito, Gakupo placed the basket of food near his feet, then hugged Kaito from behind and curled his tail around them both. Having the fae’s body rubbing against his in that confined space was going to be anything but soothing, though.

 

Gakupo said something out loud, presumably to let Goya know they were ready. The wolf-man adopted the pose of a sprinter at the start of a race; then, without any warning, he took off running. Kaito gasped, almost expecting for the cocoon of fur and sticks to fall off the beast man’s back due to the speed. But it held tightly, almost without any bouncing. It actually felt somewhat exhilarating: the scenery moved swiftly past them and the wind touched his hair and made Gakupo’s feathers murmur.

 

Gakupo’s arm felt pleasantly warm around Kaito’s waist; his other hand was tightly grasping the fur of Goya’s back, and Kaito imitated him after a while. _Perhaps this is what riding a wild horse feels like_ , he thought, _but a hundred times better_. He actually hooted with excitement when Goya leaped across a gorge, despite his earlier vertigo when flying with Gakupo, and was rewarded with a laugh and a kiss on the neck from behind.

 

Goya was crossing a mountain range, using paths that Kaito could barely make out from the wild foliage. He jumped over several streams, went under tall trees, crossed a couple of natural caverns until they reached what seemed to be a more civilized area. Close to midday, he began to sprint across cultivated fields and carefully planted lines of fruit trees, zigzagging past herds of goats and sheep. For a beast of his size and corpulence, he truly could move in a stealthy way. Finally, he came to a stop inside a small group of trees, kept more or less undisturbed by the work of man. Kaito could hear the highway nearby.

 

Once fae and human were back on the ground, Kaito walked back and forth to get rid of the slight stiffness of his limbs. Nearby, Goya and Gakupo were discussing something in a serious tone. Kaito glanced back at them discreetly, without stopping their steps, just in time to see Goya point directly at him, and Gakupo’s offended expression.

 

_With my luck, Goya’s making him promise not to touch me while we are on our own_ , Kaito thought.

 

Gakupo seemed about to stalk off, but stopped when Goya stretched one of his massive arms before him. The wolf-man said something in a softer tone, the mildest sound Kaito had heard coming from that big snout. Gakupo keep his face lowered, but his tail easily betrayed his turmoil, lashing the ground. Goya spoke again, almost pleading. Gakupo sighed and muttered something, then briefly touched the arm cutting off his path. With his other hand, the wolf-man delicately touched his son’s head. A second later, he dropped his arms to his sides and began walking away, without saying a word.

 

“…Are you ok?” Kaito asked, once the wolf-man disappeared in the distance. Gakupo hadn’t changed position at all.

 

“I said I’m still angry…” Gakupo muttered.

 

“Huh?”

 

The fae shook his head. “No matter.”  He considered Kaito with a strange expression for a few seconds, before he smiled impishly.

 

“What are you thinking?” Kaito had an inkling of the thoughts inside Gakupo’s head, since they likely mirrored his own, but he wanted to hear it said out loud.

 

“I can take you good now.” The fae moved forward and pinned Kaito against a tree. Kaito opened his mouth to laugh, but instead found himself tasting Gakupo’s mouth. The fae’s tongue teased his, demanding a response just as passionate. One of his hands kept pushing Kaito against the tree, but the other moved downwards, to stroke him through his clothes. The human tilted his back, moaning, but Gakupo claimed his mouth again, almost possessively.

 

Did the endling intended to make love to him right there? Was it just to defy his father? The questions briefly surfaced in Kaito’s mind, before he decided they were meaningless. Gakupo could do whatever he wanted to him.

 

But Gakupo stepped back a moment later, breathing heavily. The strange expression returned to his face, and he walked towards the sound of moving vehicles, with a casual “let’s go.”

 

Kaito watched him wide-eyed, panting and blushing. He almost begged Gakupo to continue, shamelessly, before thinking better off it. Truth be told, this wasn’t the best place for intimacy, unless one found dirt, stones and dry pine needles the pinnacles of romance. Shaking his head, Kaito tried to cool off his impulses and followed Gakupo.

 

“You should change into a human, the road is really close,” Kaito suggested after a couple of minutes of walking.

 

Gakupo nodded and sang. Now he looked almost normal, although his clothes were still an issue.

 

“I’ll have to buy you something else, no one dresses like-“ Kaito began to say, before the fae took a step forward and promptly fell to the ground.

 

Gakupo lifted himself on his elbows, more surprised than hurt. Kaito hurried to help him up, but as soon as the human let go and Gakupo tried to move, he crumbled back down.

 

“What’s wrong?!”

 

“I can’t- it doesn’t feel right!” Gakupo exclaimed, wobbling as Kaito helped him up again. This time, Kaito kept his arms around the fae.

 

“Did Prima botch the spell?” Kaito asked. Or maybe it was the loss of the wings and tail. After all, Gakupo was used to walking with all that extra weight on his back. His sense of equilibrium had to be affected by the sudden change.

 

“What do I do?” Gakupo sounded almost scared.

 

“You might need to get used to a human body. How about this? I help you get to the road, and when we get to the city I’ll get you crutches or a cane. If you still can’t walk in a couple of days, we’ll think of something else, ok?”

 

Gakupo again nodded, looking more youthful than ever in his nervousness.

 

“Hmmm, wait a minute. This might help us get a ride.” Kaito made Gakupo on the ground and then pulled a bandage from his backpack. He tied it around one of the fae’s bare feet, as he explained his idea: “We’ll tell the driver that you sprained your ankle, and that’s why you can’t walk. Maybe, maybe you fell while were hiking, and your backpack is at the bottom of a river somewhere.” The landscape was still hilly enough to make an accident such as that believable.

 

Once he was done, Kaito lifted Gakupo up, circling his waist with an arm. “Just don’t put your weight on that foot too much.”

 

Gakupo surrounded Kaito’s shoulders with one arm and grabbed a fistful of his jacket with the other. “Okay,” he smiled. He seemed a bit embarrassed by this earlier panic.

 

“Come on.”

 

They ungainly covered the last few meters, and soon found themselves standing at one side of the wide road. Just then, a huge truck was speeding away from them. A few cars could be seen in the distance, closing in.

 

Kaito had never hitchhiked in his life. It sounded more than a little dangerous, specially here in the West, but thankfully it was a sunny day, and they could warp away if a creep tried anything. On the other hand, would anyone bother to pick up two strangers?

 

The question was answered soon enough. Not a quarter hour later, a red pickup truck slowed down to a stop next to them, and a big bearded fellow poked his head out. “You kids ok?” He examined Gakupo’s bandaged feet with concern.

 

“We had a little accident.” Kaito managed to sound contrite.

 

The man shook his head. “Never underestimate nature, I keep saying. Kids like you, with your electronic doodads…” He sighed dramatically. “Wait a sec.” He climbed down and effortlessly lifted Gakupo, carrying him bridal-style to the car. “What’s this, some kind of costume? Were you playing wizards or something?”

 

“Costume?” Gakupo repeated, lost.

 

“Ah, well…” Kaito tried to cut in, before he realized he didn’t know what to say.

 

“You two are a bit old for that sort of thing, don’t you think?” The man clicked his tongue, but then shrugged. “At least you didn’t get badly hurt, that’s what matters. I guess you lost your bag too?”

 

“Yes, sir.” Kaito replied after Gakupo failed to react. Perhaps he was having difficulties adapting to the man’s thick accent.

 

“That’s Louis, kid. Never been a sir, never will. Or Mister Marshall if you’re feeling fancy.” He carefully placed Gakupo on the rear seats. “Lay down, you seem a bit dazed.”  The endling obeyed without a word.

 

Kaito sat on the passenger seat, after smiling to Gakupo. “I’m Kaito, Mr. Marshall.”

 

“Nice to meet you, Kaito. What about the white prince back there?”

 

“Erm…he’s Gakupo.” Kaito hesitated for a moment. But what was the harm in telling this man their names? It was better than to invent something and risk slipping out the true name later.

 

“That’s foreigner names for you… Well, no matter. Where do I take you kids? Did you call your family?” Marshall asked after he climbed back behind the wheel.

 

“They’ll be waiting for us at the Metropolitan, you know, the hospital downtown?” Kaito lied. He imagined his father waiting anxiously for news of him, and his stomach churned. He had to call Mr. Fuuga as soon as possible.

 

“I think I know which one you mean. Ok, let’s go.” The pickup truck roared back to life and they were off on their way.

 

Kaito had chosen that particular hospital more or less at random, but it actually was a good choice. It was close to the shopping district, and there were a few cheap hotels nearby where he could hide Gakupo for a few hours while he went to investigate his apartment.

 

Marshall didn’t ask too many questions during their journey. After he arrived at a conclusion he liked regarding the ‘accident’, he seemed to be doing a great job at filling the blanks himself. He lectured Kaito all the way on the follies of the young and the city folk, probably a topic he greatly enjoyed.

 

“You sure you don’t want me to wait here with you for a while? Or get you inside?” Marshall asked for the third or fourth time after he parked in front of the entrance of the hospital. There were a few neatly trimmed bushes and neat benches lining the grey walls. A couple of cabs waited nearby for clients.

 

“My parents should be here any minute, and I said we’d wait out here.” Kaito replied.

 

“All righty then, let me get your bud to one of those benches.” Marshall jump down and opened the door of the rear seats. “Did you fall asleep, kid? You haven’t said a word for a while.”

 

“No…” Gakupo said quietly.

 

Marshall carried him to one of the benches and laid him down gently. He then grabbed Kaito by the shoulders and whispered into his ear, “He might have a concussion, make sure the doctors check his head, alright?”

 

“Right, s-Mr. Marshall.” Kaito mumbled; Gakupo actually looked a little off to him, maybe he was carsick.

 

“Don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll be alright.”

 

Right about then, another vehicle began honking its horn to get Marshall to move his truck. The man gave them a rude gesture and ruffled Kaito’s hair. “Gotta go.”

 

“Thank you, Mr. Marshall! ” Kaito said at the retreating figure. The man waved at him, already starting the engine. A moment later, the pickup truck joined the traffic of the avenue and disappeared from sight.

 

“I feel a bit guilty about lying to him,” the blue-haired youth commented in a low tone, as he sat on the bench near Gakupo’s head. “Are you alright? You look pale.”

 

“I don’t like car. Bad air,” Gakupo replied. He sniffed and added, “the city smells bad too.”

 

“Yeah, well…” Kaito shrugged. His lungs were probably as grungy as the ones of any inhabitant of a modern city. If anything, the sweetness of the air back at Gakupo’s hideout seemed strange to him. “Just relax here for a moment. There’s a pharmacy and a medical supplies store next to the hospital, I’ll get you a crutch and we can get going. Ah, I’ll need the data assistant to pay.”

 

Gakupo untied the satchel from his belt and handed it over.

 

“Don’t talk to anyone. If anyone from the hospital comes out, tell them you’re waiting for someone.”

 

Kaito ran to the nearest store, as he turned the data assistant on. It was still working, despite the cracked screen. Hopefully the payment sensor in the store would detect it without trouble. As it came back online, a veritable fountain of notifications began to claim for his attention. Now that he was back in a zone covered by the net, the device was once more his tether to the world. He decided to keep focused on the present and ignore the notifications for the time being.

 

As he crossed the threshold of the medical supplies store, Kaito casually passed the data assistant over the queue box. It chimed happily and told him his expected waiting time was five minutes. Those apparatuses were as infamously unreliable as weathermen, but this time the machine was correct, since the shop was almost empty. Only eight minutes later Kaito jogged back to the bench, crutch in hand.

 

“Here” he helped Gakupo stand up and coached him for a while on the use of the crutch. Finally, with Kaito holding the fae tightly, they managed to get going at a slow but regular pace.

 

“Where are we going? Your home?” Gakupo asked, carefully keeping his eyes on the road.

 

“No, I don’t want to take you there just yet. The Pale Line could be aware of who I am and where I live. If that’s the case, they could have someone watching and- oh crap.”

 

“What?” Gakupo asked, barely keeping himself upright after Kaito stopped abruptly.

 

“If they know who I am, they could be tracing my net activity. If so, they’ll know I just paid for something using this.” Kaito waved the data assistant around. “Great, I’ll have to take out as much cash as I can later, if I can find an ATM. Now that I think about this… love hotels apparently disguise their transactions well…”

 

“I don’t understand.”

 

“I’ll explain later. Let’s take this street.” Kaito pointed to the right, where the avenue branched into a smaller, quieter street. If he remembered Hiroshi’s ramblings correctly, there were a couple of love hotels nearby that could make for a decent hiding spot.

 

“Yeah, here we go.” Within mercifully close distance, Kaito saw a building with no windows. That had to be one of them. Given the activities that usually happened inside this sort of places, natural light was an acceptable loss.

 

_I wonder if this can be considered a date_ …Kaito smiled crookedly as he almost dragged Gakupo inside one of the faintly lit entrances of the hotel. It seemed to have two, but the other was closed. As Kaito expected, the entrance hall had a big touchscreen with a selection of rooms and prices, the familiar payment sensor, a slot for cash and a waiting elevator. Nothing and -more importantly- no one else could be seen.

 

Once Kaito and Gakupo stood before the screen, the door seamlessly closed behind them. It was likely to keep them from running into other couples visiting the building. Still, it was a little creepy to be caged inside this poorly lit place. Kaito passed the data assistant over the sensor and the touchscreen lit up, highlighting the current available rooms. He selected the option for ‘unlimited stay’ and turned towards the fae.

 

“Do you want any room in particular?” He asked jokingly, to ease his nerves.

 

“Room?”

 

“We are staying here for a while. Just pick one.” Kaito pointed at the screen.

 

Gakupo blinked at him in confusion, then examined the screen. He touched it gingerly, and withdrew the hand quickly when a disembodied voice piped up.

 

“Thank you for your selection. Your room is indicated with a red light. Please enjoy your stay.”

 

“Oh, wow. Hmm...” Kaito blushed. “Sure, if that’s what you want.” Though honestly, he was the one overthinking things, if Gakupo’s expression was any indication.

 

Once they were on the elevator, the fae asked innocently, “What’s a ‘deviant’s dungeon’?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Love hotels' are kind of a Latin American and Asian thing, so if you don't know, they are meant for couples to have some discreet fun. The rooms are themed (school, prison, space, etc.) so people can act out their fantasies; they sometimes have jacuzzis, adult toys and whatnot...


	7. Chapter 7

Back home, this kind of building was much more common. It was to be expected, given the density of the population and the lack of privacy in regular life. Sometimes it wasn’t even a matter of covering up an illicit affair; it was just couples that needed to get away from their cramped houses and apartments, and into a world of affordable fantasies.

 

Kaito barely knew how these places worked. For starters, most people tended to either ignore or badmouth him using that inimitable passive-aggressive style that his countrymen excelled at. Not everyone reacted to Kaito in that way- a girl or two turned crimson at the sight of him, a guy or two seemed a bit too eager to talk to him. But none of his fumbling relationships had merited a rendezvous in one of these hotels.

 

So Kaito guessed he looked about as puzzled as Gakupo by the room before them. They stood at the entrance, with Kaito holding Gakupo by the waist, and boggled at the faux-medieval ‘instruments of torture’ around the big bed, the many mirrors lining the walls and ceiling and the chains hanging here and there.

 

Slowly, the fae pulled away from Kaito, then dispelled the illusion hiding his wings and tail. Once again in his true form, Gakupo started examining the different implements in the room with an intrigued expression. Gradually, it seemed to dawn on him what the purpose of the building was. Once he got to a bunch of toys fashioned after a certain organ of humanoid males lined on a table, he downright started laughing.

 

In contrast, Kaito remained woodenly by the door, suddenly wishing to be miles away. It had made sense to pick this place, it was the most private spot he could think where he could leave Gakupo for a few hours, since regular hotels usually required detailed information about their guests. From what Hiroshi had explained to him, the payment for this kind of services was masked and rerouted in such a way that third parties wouldn’t pinpoint the origin, even if his account was being monitored somehow. It had made sense.

 

Gakupo sat on the bed, still chuckling as he tried to decipher the labels to some of the flasks on the nightstand. After a few seconds, he raised his eyes and met Kaito’s gaze. His smiled became mischievous when he saw Kaito’s embarrassed expression.

“I…” Kaito swallowed nervously. How could anyone be comfortable in a place like this?!

“Come here.” Gakupo approached him, eyes twinkling; he obviously thought his shy human needed an extra push. He grabbed hold of Kaito’s hands and gently started pulling him towards the bed. However, Kaito shook him off and took a few steps back.

 

“Ah, I have to go back my apartment and get a few things…erm, wait here, ok?” The human stuttered, and bolted from the room before Gakupo could get a word edgewise. He headed towards the emergency exit at the end of the hall, helpfully marked with a green sign.

 

_Congratulations, idiot. That was excellent, well done. Weren’t you the one itching to be alone with him? The only reason Gakupo puts up with you is that he doesn’t know any better…_

Kaito’s hand rested on the exit door for a second, as that last thought bounced around inside his head. That was true; as far as he knew, the endling had little experience when it came to relationships. So how much of his interest in Kaito was just having no basis for comparison? And what would happen when Gakupo realized how dull he really was? What if the fae girl they were supposed to rescue was more attractive than him?

 

 _‘A king needs a faithful knight,’_ Yuki’s voice suddenly echoed in his mind. That was what Yuki and Goya were probably counting on, wasn’t it? They were hoping the new queen would take Gakupo as her husband.

 

Kaito shook his head, cringing. He stepped outside and began to descend the emergency stairs on the side of the building, barely paying attention to his steps. He was being stupid, he knew that. But it made no difference. Not even when he stumbled and almost rolled the rest of the way down; the image of Gakupo turning his back on him remained pinned to the inside of his eyelids.

 

 _Stop it._ He finally reached the street and began blindly walking towards his apartment.

 

 _He’s mine. He’s mine!_ Another childish voice replied inside of him, fiercely _. Remember that night with the storm outside!_

_Remember how you brushed him off, just now?_ With a sigh, Kaito hung his head. What was he even doing? After a moment, he looked around, and realized that he had managed to reach the train station without even noticing. According to the sign in front of him, the next train was about to reach the platform. Dejectedly, he prepared to board.

 

***

 

Gakupo laid face-down on the bed, in the middle of the ridiculous, slightly chilly room. His tail swung like a pendulum from right to left and back, betraying his bad mood.

 

So he was being too forceful. Kaito was wise and gentle and yet, instead of acting accordingly, Gakupo was being coarse and unappealing. But what was he supposed to do? He had nothing to give but himself; besides, the human had been the one to make the first move.

 

Maybe Kaito felt ashamed of feeling attraction towards a fae. Maybe he was beginning to realize what an inconvenient burden Gakupo was. Now that they were back in the city, the proper thing for Kaito would’ve been to dive right back into his own life, instead of doing this.

 

_‘It’s not going to last, pup. You already gave him what he wanted; he’ll get bored and leave. That’s what humans are like.’_

 

Goya was prejudiced against humans. That had been the origin of their big argument, before Gakupo stopped accompanying his father on his rounds. But even after all that had happened to his people, Gakupo couldn’t accept that humans were half as bad as the wolf-man claimed. How could the creators of so many beautiful and amazing things be the abominations his father hated?

 

However, what if Goya was right, this time? What if Gakupo had made a mistake, that night back at the cave? The unknown had a certain allure, but he had surrendered to Kaito completely, removing all mystery. Now Kaito could see what he really was: a stupid beast still alive merely due to chance, a crude little thing trying to be loved…and nothing more.

 

For an instant, Gakupo felt like going outside and make a scene until the Pale Line arrived to capture him. Just to get it over with. But no, that would only inconvenience Kaito further. He had to respect his attempt to help them; Kaito had to know what he was doing.

 

***

 

Kaito wasn’t sure how to proceed. He didn’t like spy movies in general, but right now he felt they would’ve given him a pointer or two regarding his current predicament. He had circled around his apartment building as casually as he could, searching for any vehicles parked nearby, or suspicious individuals. Nothing really jumped out as out of place for his neighborhood, but that didn’t meant the Pale Line weren’t keeping tabs on him. His apartment could be bugged, or cameras could be installed somewhere nearby.

 

In the end, his only feasible course of action was to go in, get the things he needed and get out quickly. And that was exactly what didn't happen, of course. Aside from the usual electronic surveillance, his building employed a doorman who divided his time between surfing the net and questioning any strangers coming in. As soon as the man saw Kaito, he jumped out of his chair, eyes wide.

 

“Kaito?! Where the he- where were you?!” The doorman came from behind of his desk and grabbed Kaito's shoulders. “Are you alright?”

 

“I...er, I'm fine, Mr. Stevens. Sorry for making you worry.”

 

“Are you kidding me? The cops are looking for you! Your father is flying in! Where were you?”

 

“My father? When does he land?”  Kaito felt heavy with guilt. His father had been so worried as to drop everything and come to this country?

 

“Tonight, from what I’ve heard. Kaito, he kept calling you and you never replied, so he called the manager of the building and the police. And then we contacted the college and your friends, and no one had seen you in days! You can't disappear like that!”

 

“Er…” Kaito stared stupidly at the man. He had completely failed to consider he would need an excuse for his disappearance. He couldn't mention the endling, or admit he had done something illegal. “I…wanted to get away for a while.”

 

The silence stretched for an uncomfortably long time, before the doorman finally stepped back, shaking his head. “This was a very irresponsible thing to do, Kaito. If I were your dad…well, you’ll get to explain yourself soon enough. Go and clean up while I call the cops.”

 

“…Right.” Kaito practically ran to the elevator, hiding his face. He’d have to take the emergency exit, again, and face the consequences later.

 

His apartment was like the aftermath of a hurricane: either the Pale Line or the police (or both) had been looking for clues of his whereabouts. Kaito ran into his bedroom with a lump in his throat, but his laptop was still in the closet. He hastily emptied his backpack on the bed and jammed the laptop and fresh clothes inside, then stood in the middle of the room. What else? What else could be useful? After a moment, he remembered his electronics toolkit and some traveler's cheques hidden in his socks drawer and added them to his pack.

 

While he changed into a new jacket and muffler, Kaito chanced to look outside at the street below. A police car was quickly approaching from one end of the street. The youth shouldered the backpack and ran outside, without even bothering to lock his apartment.

 

_Dad is going to kill me- and he’s going to be fully justified._

 

***

 

The next stop was a shop to get some clothes for Gakupo. Kaito chose an out of the way place he had visited on one occasion with his friends; he remembered as a fashionably backwards store, where cash and even cheques were still favored over electronic transferences.

 

“Honey, that’s too loose; do you want me to check for a smaller size?” A tall store attendant covered in a metric ton of makeup appeared next to Kaito while he was trying on a black hooded jacket.

 

“Ah, it’s not for me.” Kaito wasn’t sure of Gakupo’s exact measurements, but the fae was taller and had wider shoulders than him, even though he was overly thin, almost malnourished. “I’m getting them for a friend.” He gesticulated vaguely to include a black t-shirt and a pair of faded jeans on a counter nearby.

 

“Why didn’t your friend come? We don’t bite…much.” The lady winked.

 

“Yeah, why isn’t _he_ here with you?” A familiar voice asked sarcastically from behind Kaito’s back, startling him. The store attendant blinked, and Kaito reluctantly turned to find Hiroshi and Akane standing a couple steps away from him. Hiroshi was carrying an almost cartoonish tower of packages, but Kaito found little humor in his incensed expression. On the other hand, Akane was pulling nervously at her cute braid and looking from one young man to the other with a mortified expression.

 

“Um, hi…” Kaito mumbled.

 

“You’re an absolute ass, you know that?!” Hiroshi growled. The attendants and other customer at the store began to stare at the trio with varying degrees of interest.

 

“I…let me pay for this, and…and I’ll explain, ok?”

 

“Yeah, just try and explain this one.” Hiroshi followed him to the cashier, with Akane trailing just behind.

 

After the clothes were paid off and bagged, Kaito marched woodenly out of the store. After an instant of indecision, he continued walking along the sidewalk, in the direction of the hotel, but Hiroshi stepped in front of him almost immediately. “Where do you think you’re going?”

 

“I can’t talk in the middle of the street,” Kaito said in a low tone. “Please, Hiroshi.”

 

“Why don’t we go have a coffee somewhere?” Akane suggested softly. She jerked her head lightly towards a franchise café on the other end of the street. “My treat.”

 

“…Sure.” Not that he enjoyed the idea of leaving Gakupo alone for too long, but it couldn’t be helped.

 

Probably thanks to the calming presence of Akane, Hiroshi kept quiet until they were sitting on a corner near the back of the café. But once there were two steaming cups of coffee and a sundae on the table, he decided it was time to unleash his vitriol. Kaito observed him with equal parts amazement and uneasiness. He had never seen his friend lose his temper like this: the Hiroshi he knew was full of quips and inappropriate humor, always trying to push him into doing silly, adventurous things.

 

“Are you listening to me?!” Hiroshi barked.

 

“I…um…”

 

“Hiroshi was very worried about you. Everyone was,” Akane interjected.

 

“I guess none of us matter in comparison to a pretty face!“

 

“Please, Hiroshi. I’m sorry, I’m really sorry, but please keep it down,” Kaito interrupted him, casting nervous glances at the people at the other tables and the waitress.

 

Akane placed a hand on Hiroshi’s arm, rubbing it slightly; that gesture alone seemed enough to calm him somewhat. He sighed and took a sip of coffee before continuing. “You sprung that fae from the museum, didn’t you?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“And you’ve been with him all this time.” The questions were merely a formality, but Kaito confirmed them nonetheless.

 

“Why? Why put yourself through all of this?”

 

“Why?” Kaito repeated, honestly perplexed for a moment. Wasn’t it obvious? “I couldn’t see him wither inside that cage. Not him.” He played with the ice cream before him, all too aware of how his answer would fail to impress his friend, and shoved a spoonful into his mouth.

 

“He’s really in love with that fae…” Akane rested her chin in her hands, looking at Kaito as if he was the most fascinating thing she had seen lately. Kaito almost choked in response.

 

“I don’t doubt that, unfortunately. The problem is that the fae is taking advantage of this doofus’ sugar-laden idiocy.“

 

“That’s not true!” Kaito cried out, unwittingly dropping the spoon; it rattled with an unpleasantly harsh sound when it crashed against the floor.

 

“Oh really? I think you've watched one too many romantic movies, buddy. Did he promise to take you to Arcadia as his blushing bride yet?”

 

“Hiroshi…” Akane’s tone was mildly chiding; by her standards, it was the harshest of condemnations.

 

Hiroshi ruffled his already messy hair and sighed. “I should call the police, I really should. If he does anything to hurt you, I'll rip his freaking tail off, you got me?”

 

“Got it.” Kaito smiled, genuinely moved by his friend’s worry.

 

“So where did you stash him?”

 

“Um, how should I explain this…?”

 

***

 

Kaito peeked inside the hotel room and discovered that Gakupo was on the bed, hidden by his wings. _I wonder why he sits like that. Is it comfortable? Does he do it to shut off the outside world?_

“I’m back,” he said hesitantly. For once, Gakupo failed to react in any way, even when Kaito moved closer and dropped the bags over the covers. “Are you alright?”

 

One of the wings twitched, and then partially moved out of the way. Gakupo stared at him with a severe expression without saying a word.

 

Fighting the urge to shrink back, Kaito gulped. A painfully long moment later, he managed to sputter, “I’m sorry I ran off so abruptly.”

 

“No matter.” The wings retreated and Gakupo pushed himself off the bed.

 

Kaito began rummaging through the bags, grateful for the chance to look away from that intense gaze. Akane had actually insisted he needed to buy more clothes and a second backpack, so he had several items to sort through, but Kaito decided to start with the first outfit he bought in the trendy store. “Can you try these on? I think they should fit, but you never know, right? It’s the first time I do something like this; it’s kind of interesting to buy stuff thinking of how it will look on someone else.” He unfolded the dark jacket and added, “It’s darker than the stuff you usually wear, but I thought you’d look good, and- well, you always look good, I mean-I just wanted to see you in…erm, actually, I...”

 

“You’re speaking with no road.” There was a slight wavering in his tone, a laugh trying to get out. Kaito looked up, relief flooding every part of him. Gakupo took the jacket and examined it with a smile. “This…is jacket, right? Good jacket. Thank you, Kaito.”

 

Kaito laughed softly, rubbing the back of his neck, as Gakupo sang to bring about the transformation. He watched as the now wingless fae removed his short cape slowly to avoid unbalancing himself and tried on the jacket. Yes, it fit pretty well, and the contrast between the black fabric and the pale skin under it was more than a little fetching.

 

“Would you like me better if I looked like this always?” Gakupo asked, touching his hair gingerly.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Would you like me better if I were human? I could go outside, I would know things.” Gakupo then made a brusque movement, maybe forgetting himself, and wobbled in place. Thankfully, Kaito was close to keep him from tumbling down. “I would stop falling,” the fae added with a grimace.

 

“This is just a momentary thing,” Kaito replied. “But to answer the question…” He breathed deeply. In a flash, he imagined how it would‘ve been to meet Gakupo as just another student in campus. He would be seen such a sight: handsome, fit and confident, unburdened by the scars of the past. Would someone like that even bother to look at Kaito? The Gakupo in front of him, unlike the fanciful creation in his mind’s eye, needed him. So that meant… _What am I even thinking! Hiroshi is right; I’m a selfish jerk!_ Kaito winced internally, trying to keep his thoughts from being reflected on his face. This Gakupo was better, because he was vulnerable? Because protecting him made Kaito feel less maladjusted and lonely?

 

“What are you thinking?” Gakupo unknowingly echoed the turmoil inside his head. He made a little sound of frustration and pushed the jacket off his shoulders. A few notes later, he was back to his usual self. Now stable, he leaned forward and grabbed Kaito’s shoulders, pulling him close. “Tell me what you want! I’ll do it!” His voice was equal parts forceful and pleading.

 

Kaito’s jaw dropped, but for once, he managed to connect his mouth to his brain before the moment completely passed, even if he couldn’t avoid laughing nervously. “What I want? I- I want you. I’ve never met anyone I wanted more.”  

 

“Even if I only make trouble for you?”

 

“I’d rather be in trouble with you than safe anywhere else,” Kaito replied, and felt a small spark of pride when he saw Gakupo's touched expression. _I’ll work hard to deserve that look, I promise_ , he thought warmly.

 

“Kaito…” Again the fae's voice trembled a bit, flavorful with many unspoken promises. That rich tone drew the human in, awakening once more the terrible hunger to take Gakupo’s mouth, over and over again. He gladly yielded to the impulse and pulled Gakupo down until their lips met. What did Kaito care about trouble when he had someone as his endling kissing him?

His touch erased every worry from Kaito’s heart; his heat was like fierce sunlight, burning away every doubt.

 

The kiss deepened, reducing Kaito’s world further to an increasingly heated dance. Suddenly, they bumped against the bed and Gakupo fell backwards, dragging him along. Kaito tried to apologize and pull back, scared of squashing Gakupo’s wings, but the fae just gripped him harder and rolled their bodies until he was on top. His hands travelled downwards along the sides of Kaito’s torso and disappeared beneath his t-shirt. Then the fingers changed direction, pushing the fabric upwards as they gently explored his skin.  “Tell me to love you,” Gakupo whispered into his ear.

 

The words swept Kaito’s body, galvanizing him. There was nothing else to do but comply. “Please love me.”

 

The fae’s lips curved in a victorious, pleased smile: like a musician plucking their instrument, he pinched, stroked and soothed the body beneath his. Layers of fabric were peeled away, clothes were tossed aside; once again they were pressed against each other, ebbing and surging. Kaito repeated his plea once, twice, three times and more, the words unraveling with each movement. Gakupo replied with his mouth and his body, unrelenting. Kaito cried out incoherently, moving by instinct, lost in his urges. Gakupo came to him, sank into him and escaped him, carving scorched roads over Kaito’s skin.  

 

They pursued each other, they drank from each other, and instants stacked themselves in a frenzied parade. The flame grew brighter and brighter until it broke into shards of unbearable and utterly ephemeral light. The world dripped back in and rationality clawed back from the recesses of Kaito’s mind. Pleasure cooled on his skin.

 

“Say it…” Gakupo began once more between ragged breaths, before he rested his head on Kaito’s chest. He didn’t need to continue.

 

“I love you.”

 

***

 

Hours later, Kaito gently pried himself from under Gakupo’s sleeping form. Honestly, he would’ve been more than content to stay where he was, but he had things to do before the day was over.

 

“I’ll protect you,” he mouthed in a barely audible tone, before kissing Gakupo´s forehead. The endling didn’t stir.

 

After cleaning himself in the annexed bathroom, Kaito sat on the edge of the bed, clad in a bathrobe. He examined his laptop for signs of tempering, but the casing looked pristine. Just to be extra careful, he carefully opened it using his toolkit and checked the interior components. Still nothing. Satisfied, he closed the casing and powered it up. After the OS loaded, he ran the antivirus. It was clean.

 

His first task was to investigate the Pale Line and see if he could find the address for their private club somewhere on the net. He opened the browser and began to search for an official site, but nothing relevant popped up, no matter what search engine or word combination he used.

 

“What now?” Kaito mumbled, chewing one of his nails. Either they didn’t have net presence (unlikely) or the Pale Line had an unlisted site. That meant using different means of accessing the net; of course, Kaito wasn’t exactly familiar with using anonymous net access or ‘alternative’ software, much less with visiting online black markets or services. “Time to learn, I guess.”    

 

It actually took very little time to download and install the necessary programs. The hard part was figuring out where to go, once he dived into the hidden part of the net. It was clearly set up for people who knew where to go, and how to get there. The laptop’s clock reminded him repeatedly of the passage of time, as he fruitlessly jumped from site to site. It was terribly frustrating.

 

But all of the sudden, he ran into something that chilled him. There wasn’t anything disturbing to the image itself, paradoxically. It was a picture very much like the ones still housed in the data assistant: Gakupo inside the cage, smiling brightly as he examined a long ribbon. But the context was someone mentioning a ‘’job offer’ recently posted in a certain marketplace. Kaito followed the directions of the forum goer, and after some more difficulties, he finally found the posting. The Pale Line was offering a big reward for the retrieval of the endling, and smaller sums for information. Fortunately, there was no mention of Kaito by name, although they did say Gakupo might be in the company of a ‘blue-haired young man.’  

 

 _I really wish I didn’t have to look at the comments for this…_ If the comments for common sites of the net were oftentimes toxic, what could be expected of a place like this?  But he had to know if they had been seen around the city earlier in the day. He scrolled down.

 

There were some professional-sounding (for lack of a better word) comments regarding the hunt, but most messages were from people eagerly anticipating the moment Gakupo would be available to service clients; the commenters often left uncomfortably detailed blocks of text describing all the lewd things they wanted to do to him. A few even lamented how old Gakupo was and hoped the Pale Line could procure a preteen fae boy at some point in the future.

 

“Pigs!” Kaito blurted out loud, enraged.

 

Behind him, Gakupo groaned and sluggishly rose to a sitting position. “What’s wrong?”

 

Kaito quickly slammed the laptop closed; the last thing he wanted was to explain to Gakupo about the filth he had been reading. “Nothing, I’m just having trouble finding the headquarters of the Pale line. Sorry I woke you up.”

 

Gakupo crawled towards him over the rumpled covers, and hugged him from behind. “I shouldn’t waste time sleeping when I’m with you,” he said hoarsely and kissed Kaito’s neck.

 

Kaito leaned back and inclined his head to one side, enjoying the warmth of Gakupo’s embrace with closed eyes. Gakupo’s lips and tongue continued to trace figures up and down his neck, while his fingers pushed the bathrobe off his shoulders. “Mmm…wait, wait a moment,” Kaito gasped, remembering the hour. “We need to get dressed.”

 

“Why?” Matching the playful tone in his voice, the fae’s fingers travelled downwards and began to play with his nipples.

 

“Ah…Hiroshi offered me his spare room, so I wouldn’t waste more money renting this one. I…I told him we’d be there around 10 o’clock.”

 

“Hiroshi?” It barely sounded like a question; clearly Gakupo didn’t remember who that was, and didn’t care at the moment.

 

Kaito stifled a moan and continued. “A friend…Remember the first time I went to the museum, the one that took photographs? Come on, we have to move.” He reluctantly pried Gakupo’s fingers off him and stood up. “Have you ever showered in a human bathroom?  I think you’ll like it.”

 

“Show me,” Gakupo replied non-committedly after a moment.

 

As it was to be expected, the bathroom had a two-person shower. Thankfully, it meant that Gakupo could stand inside the enclosed space without bending his wings.

 

“Are you staying outside?” Gakupo asked surprised, as the hot water began to soak him. Kaito was sitting outside, close enough to help in case the fae needed something.

 

“Yes, it wouldn’t be comfortable with me in there, unless you used the spell…” Kaito shook his head. Not to mention how hard it would be to keep focused. The mere thought of a wet, soapy Gakupo rubbing his body was flustering enough. _Later, we’ll have time for more later_ , he promised himself.

 

***

 

By the time they reached Hiroshi’s street, Gakupo was beginning to adapt to his human guise, although his pace was still painfully slow. Kaito and him walked arm in arm down the sidewalk, two of the few people still around at that hour. It was a residential neighborhood relatively far from the center of the city. The street itself was very quiet and a little dark, thanks to the trees leaning over the sidewalk, filtering the light of the lampposts.

 

“Ok, here we are.” The house in question was pretty nice, thanks to Hiroshi’s father and his high-paying job. Thankfully, the job in question involved long trips to other states, so Hiroshi was alone at the moment. “Don’t mind him if he gets snippy, he’s a good guy.”

 

“Snippy?”

 

“Eh, I mean…you know, Hiroshi doesn’t like fae all that much, but I’m sure that when he gets to know you-“

 

“I understand,” Gakupo cut him off, somewhat drily.

 

“Look, I just mean-“ Again Kaito’s words were cut off, when the door opened and Hiroshi appeared, staring at them with raised eyebrows.

 

“What the? Where are his wings and tail?” Hiroshi circled around them and examined Gakupo’s back. Immediately, the fae’s image wavered, and his true form appeared with a loud ripping sound. Hiroshi sputtered when one of Gakupo’s wings hit him in the face and fell on his rear, mouth agape.

 

Kaito pulled Gakupo inside the house quickly, before returning to the sidewalk. He looked around, dismayed at the thought of anyone seeing the transformation, but it somehow seemed to go unnoticed by the couple making their way in his direction, or the man walking his dog. He breathed out a sigh of relief and helped Hiroshi up. “I’m sorry, I should’ve mentioned he was using a spell to disguise himself as human.”

 

“You don’t say!” Hiroshi replied, dusting his pants off. “Though I was wondering how you planned to get here unnoticed.”

 

“I broke the clothes you gave me,” Gakupo’s voice grumbled from inside the house. “See!” 

 

“Oh, we can see quite a bit,“ Hiroshi commented with a wincing smile. Apparently the absurdity of the situation was beginning to steer him back towards his usual mood. “Get him upstairs, will you? Last door to the left.”

 

“It’s ok, don’t worry.” Kaito guided the pouting Gakupo across the nicely furnished living room, towards the stairs.

 

“Do you guys need something to eat?” Hiroshi asked while closing the main door.

 

“That would be nice.” Kaito paused for a moment, studying Gakupo. The endling stared back tilting his head. “Could you get him something organic? I don’t know how well he handles processed food.”

 

Hiroshi scratched his scalp vigorously. “Um, I’m not sure I have healthy junk around. I’ll see what I can do.”

 

“Thanks. For everything, I mean.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, shut up.” Hiroshi waved a hand and disappeared into the kitchen.

 

Kaito exhaled. In truth, he was expecting a much more hostile meeting, but Hiroshi was clearly making an effort to be supportive, in his own way; it was actually pretty heartwarming, he had to admit.

 

“Are all human homes like this?” Gakupo asked looking around, as he ascended the stairs. The lamp hanging on top created huge shadows as he moved his wings inspecting the pictures on the walls.

 

“Not all. My apartment is tiny next to this place.”

 

Gakupo made a little sound of acknowledgement, just as he reached the hall upstairs. “Many doors.”

 

“Yeah,” Kaito agreed. Funnily enough, it somewhat reflected his situation back home: his father owned a huge traditional house in the countryside, with most of the rooms simply collecting dust. _It would be a great place to hide Gakupo, if I could get him across the Pacific…_

 

The spare room had a single bed, an empty closet, and little else. Kaito left Gakupo removing the formerly trendy outfit and returned downstairs. He found Hiroshi in the kitchen, leaning on a counter with a phone on his hand. His friend gestured him to keep quiet as soon as he entered, as he listened to the person at the other end of the line. Out of reflex, his friend nodded a couple of times in response to what they were saying, until it was his turn to reply. <Around seven…Oh, sure, of course, yes> Hiroshi’s Japanese sounded a little awkward, but it was to be expected of someone that had lived in the western world all his life. <If I hear anything, I’ll let you know…. Yes. Goodbye> Finally, he hung up, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

 

“Was that-“

 

“Your father? Oh, yes. He just arrived at the hotel. He wants to meet me tomorrow.”

 

“And you said yes?”

 

“Of course I said yes. Look, why don’t you call him and explain what’s going on? He sounds like he’s gonna crack any minute now!” Hiroshi offered him the phone.

 

“I don’t know…” It felt horrible to leave his father out of the loop like this, but the alternative scared him. Mr. Fuuga was kind and understanding, but also very mindful of the law. Even if he accepted that his son was in love with a male fae, Kaito had basically committed a crime. There was a chance that his father would call the police and surrender the fae to them, out of a sense of justice. No, Kaito couldn’t allow that to happen. “Maybe I’ll call tomorrow, I need to figure out some things.”

 

“Like what? Just tell him the truth: ‘Hey, dad, I stole a fae boy toy, can I keep him?’” Hiroshi mimicked speaking on the phone, twirling a strand of his hair and batting his eyelashes.

 

“Funny. Just give me some time to think, ok? Please promise you won’t say anything to him tomorrow. Please?”

 

 

“Fine, I won’t spill the beans. But my dad returns on Monday, so you better figure out what you want to do by then. Oh, I had to order some food, it should be here any minute now.”

 

While they waited for the deliveryman, Kaito told Hiroshi about the Pale Line, and what Gakupo and him were supposed to do. His friend just shook his head repeatedly. “I really hope that the fae is worth it, mate. Sounds like the wrong people to mess with.”

 

“He is, Hiroshi.”

 

His friend smiled crookedly. “I have to give him one thing: I’ve never seen you so determined about something.” At that moment, the doorbell rang.

 

Five minutes later, Kaito was back in the spare room with a big tray of ‘healthy junk’, as Hiroshi described it. It looked quite good, actually. Gakupo stood up from his spot on the bed and examined the salad and fruit basket with interest; rather distractingly, he hadn’t bothered to get dressed again after removing the torn clothing.

 

“Er, aren’t you cold?” Kaito placed the tray on the bed and sat next to it. Gakupo shook his head and sat on the other side of the tray. “Well, I hope that Hiroshi doesn’t decide to barge in here without knocking.” Gakupo shrugged, clearly unconcerned. That was an interesting question, actually: whether that lack of inhibitions was a personal quirk, or something he had picked up growing up with the wolf-man.

 

“Kaito, I want to ask something of you…” Gakupo started, interrupting his train of thought, but then stopped to munch on a celery stick, perhaps to give himself more time to construct his sentences. “I want you to take me to old Titania.”

 

“The former queen? I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” It fact, it sounded like an absolutely terrible one. “You know how easily the disguise can fail, and we’d be surrounded by visitors and security guards.”

 

“I want to understand. You said she’s in a museum, right? The museum teaches why humans and fae fight. I want to understand why humans did what they did, back then.”

 

“Gakupo…”

 

“Please Kaito, I need to see her.”

 

“I can’t risk you like that.”

 

“Please!”

 

“Don’t make that face, I’m trying to protect you.” Kaito averted his eyes. It had been nerve-wrecking enough to get to Hiroshi’s home in the first place. And yet…He didn’t want to say no, especially after upsetting Gakupo earlier in the day.

 

A hand softly touched his knee. “I’ll be careful.”  Barely aware of his own movements, Kaito grabbed the hand and brought it his lips. Gakupo wordlessly pushed the tray aside and drew closer, straddling Kaito. “Please,” he repeated in a low, breathy tone.

 

“How am I supposed to say no when you do _that_?” Kaito said finally, red-faced. “Fine, let’s go tomorrow.”

 

Gakupo just smiled prettily and kissed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like this, please consider checking out my other fanfics :)


	8. Chapter 8

Under the morning rays of the sun, the round plaza shone like an enormous jeweled brooch. Its colorful slabs combined into a highly abstract image, meant to symbolize the diverse areas of knowledge that lead humanity to dominance. However, most people that crossed the vast space didn’t bother to look downwards, except for some schoolchildren that amused themselves by skipping from color to color while their teacher was distracted with a map of the area.

“It’s meant to be seen from one of the terraces,” Kaito informed his companion, after he noticed how Gakupo was staring intently at the ground, trying to make sense of the image. The human then pointed to the flat roofs of most of the buildings lining the plaza. All were vaguely Ionic in style, with several white columns decorating their entrances. Only the museum that housed Old Titania had a sloped room and a front pediment decorated with scenes of the final destruction of the Warm Isles.

When the endling saw the figures carved in marble, he froze and unconsciously dropped the crutch to the ground. Kaito followed the direction of his gaze and cringed: among the many stone combatants, a wind fae laid on his back, its wings and chest pierced by the bayonets of several human soldiers.   

“Here you go,” a middle-aged passerby picked up the crutch and handed it back to Gakupo, who was still mesmerized by the war scene. He mumbled a distracted, “Thank you,” barely looking at her.

“Sorry, he’s still a bit sick,” Kaito added to the woman.

“No worries, dear. Though if he wants to sit down for a spell, there are some benches over there.” The woman pointed to their left, towards one of the exits of the plaza, and resumed walking.

Once the woman was sufficiently far away, Kaito whispered, “Are you ok? Perhaps we should go back to Hiroshi’s-“ 

“I remember it,” Gakupo said in a choked tone. “Bones snapping like twigs, and then the booming. I could felt in my chest, every time. Every time I wondered for a second, ‘Am I dead?’ after the weapon cried out…but I lived.”

Kaito’s throat constricted for a second, as he observed the fae’s faraway expression. He could only speculate as to the nature of the carnage being replayed inside Gakupo’s mind at that moment. Helplessly, he just squeezed the fae’s arm. “Look, let’s go. There are many things I could show you in the city, there’s no need for you to be here.”

Gakupo shook his head. “She’s waiting for us.”

“This is completely unnecessary,” Kaito complained, but helped Gakupo approach the short queue before the museum entrance. Given the value of the items inside, it had actual human guards in addition to the usual electronic surveillance. The men were standing at both sides of the door, examining the visitors with special detection wands as the men and women entered and exited the building.

“What are those?” Gakupo asked, curiosity overcoming his previous discomfort.

“They are scanning the people for hidden objects. See that warning at the side? We aren’t supposed to carry any food or beverages, or sharp and bladed objects.”

“Bladed…?”

“Apparently, people have tried to take souvenirs.”  Kaito smiled a little. In all honesty, he would love to have a lock of Titania’s hair, as morbid as it sounded. His free hand touched the little velvet bag hanging from his neck and his smile widened.

One of the first things Kaito did when he began living in the city was to visit the famed Queen of the Fae. After his visit, he spent several days daydreaming about what could’ve happened if he had met the queen during her life. ‘If only things could’ve been different,’ was the recurrent thought bouncing around his head, until the daily grind made the striking image of the queen sink into the back of his mind.

And now, impossible as it would’ve seem to Kaito only months ago, he had a living, breathing fae in his arms (quite literally), as beautiful as the broken queen or more; unlike the frozen and distant idol, the endling was warm and sweet, and utterly his. Emboldened by that thought, Kaito peeked around and when he saw that no one was staring at them, he kissed Gakupo’s cheek. In response, Gakupo again made that little purring sound, making him chuckle.

After a couple of minutes of waiting, they finally reached the door. The wands flashed in response to the metal in the crutch, but the guards just waved them in politely.

The space inside was one big room, divided with panels that hid the actual dimensions of the museum. The panels displayed photographs, paintings and accounts of the war against the fae, plus audio codes for data assistants. In between the panels, crystal cases displayed different items like broken fae helms, weapons for both sides and more. Titania’s ‘crypt’ was at the other end of the building. 

Kaito and Gakupo waded through the crowd slowly, stopping before every museum piece or image. At first, Gakupo just observed everything in silence, with wide eyes. His companion was left to wonder how much of what the fae was seeing actually meant something to him; he was still learning the language, for starters.

As if on cue, Gakupo asked softly “What is ‘diminishing resources, ill spent’?” He read the words from a panel to their left, slurring them a bit.

Kaito took another look at their surroundings before replying. There was a girl looking at them, who smiled cheekily at him before turning a corner, but no one else was paying attention. Good, considering he was going to explain things that any human of Gakupo’s age should know. “People…humans thought that fae weren’t using the land they had efficiently. Once the Industrial Revolution began and humans begun to use more and more fuels and raw materials, the attempts to encroach into non-human land became more insistent and violent.”

“Additionally, for the first time we had weapons strong enough to rival magic. And unlike fae and other magical beings, anyone could use a machine gun or a bomb with a minimum of training. Magic users could be taken out at a distance, by even the lowest soldier.”

Gakupo tilted his head to the side, looking as if he was mulling over the information he had just received. “Land…Fuels and raw materials…What for?”

“Hmm, well, you’ve seen enough of the city to know we have all types of things. Life is very comfortable for most humans.”

“Life of fae is transformed into happiness for human,” Gakupo remarked.

Kaito scratched his head, feeling a bit uncomfortable. “I suppose you could see it like that.”

Gakupo nodded, though it seemed more like a response to one of his own thoughts, more than a reaction to Kaito’s words. His resigned expression made Kaito’s stomach lurch.

“We should go see Titania now, Gakupo.”

“…Yes.”

 Just then, a flash briefly illuminated the fae’s face from the side. He and Kaito turned around, surprised, and saw the girl from before with a data assistant in her hands. “You are boyfriends, right? You look so cute together!” She gushed.

“Erm…” Kaito replied eloquently, red-faced.

“We look cute together,” Gakupo repeated, as if trying out the words. “I like that,” he smiled.

 _But what made her think it was ok to take our photograph without permission_ , Kaito thought irritably. Meanwhile, the girl was still prattling and smoothing her bob haircut, asking Gakupo about their relationship. Suddenly, warning alarms began to ring inside Kaito’s head: the questions were not only intrusive, but aimed towards learning how long Gakupo had lived in the city, and what places he frequented. 

“Excuse me, we are running a bit late,” Kaito cut her off and basically dragged Gakupo away. The girl remained in place, a vaguely amused smile in her face.

“What are you doing?” Gakupo asked, adjusting to Kaito’s pace with difficulty.

“There’s something wrong about that girl. We’ve better go see Titania and leave,” Kaito explained. He actually just wanted to take Gakupo away as soon as possible, but the fae was sure to complain if they left without taking at least a quick look at the queen.

With all the people going in the same direction, they quickly lost sight of the strange girl. In front, a curious sight gradually became visible: a crystal cube rested behind over a low platform, surrounded at all sides by a fence. Inside, there was a flower-shaped bed where Titania laid, hands primly clasped together over her chest. Her teal hair spilled all around her head like a shiny waterfall. Fake butterfly wings of gossamer contrasted with her sleeveless white gown; from what Kaito had read, her true wings had been destroyed after the last battle, the first of many cruel and pointless gestures during the victory celebrations.  Like Gakupo, parts of her body were covered with tiny opalescent scales, so the strong lights that illuminated the cube from all directions made her neck and shoulders sparkle, as if covered in diamonds. Her eyes were closed, and her face was mercifully calm. Like every time he saw her, Kaito wondered how a girl so young and fragile had been able to lead her people for so long. Titania had undoubtedly been truly magnificent, a fitting reflection of the more extravagant tales regarding the fae.

When he managed to tear his eyes off the fallen queen, Kaito found Gakupo staring at him with an odd expression. “Is there something wrong?”

For a moment, Gakupo just kept studying his expression. Then he shook his head slightly, without saying anything.

“I told you coming here wouldn’t change things. She’s far beyond our reach now,” Kaito whispered.

Gakupo gave no indication that he heard Kaito; he just looked at the preserved body with a grim expression.

“We should go,” Kaito suggested.

“Do you admire her?” The endling asked abruptly, his eyes still on Titania.

“Huh? Oh, of course I do. But come on,” Kaito gently guided the fae away from the display. He continued talking as they walked. “I’ve read a lot about her, actually. Most literature is biased against fae, but if you read between the lines you’ll realize how talented and brave she was. I’d love to be able to talk to her, even once.”

Gakupo grunted something unintelligible, perhaps in his mother tongue.

“I’m sorry you didn’t find this as enlightening as you hoped.” It was the expected result, but he wasn’t about to say ‘I told you so’ to Gakupo.

“You guys are leaving so quickly, what’s the matter?” A voice remarked from behind them, causing Kaito’s stomach to jump. It was a voice he had heard very recently, but now it dripped poison behind it’s fake sweetness. Without stopping, he turned his head around partially and saw it was the short-haired girl again. This time around, she was accompanied with several young men that looked distinctly unfriendly.

 _Oh, no._ Kaito almost tripped due to nervousness, but managed to keep himself and Gakupo going. With effort, he answered as casually as he could, “We have other things to do.” A quick look at Gakupo told him that the fae had sensed something was off, given his slight frown. 

“That’s a shame. I was wondering if you wanted to have a drink with us,” the girl continued. Her group and her were deftly following Kaito and Gakupo, coming closer and closer.

“Thank you, but not today.” At least they were in a place so crowded that violence wasn’t likely to go well for these goons, whoever they were.

“Hmm, I really must insist. It’s not every day I met someone with blue hair,” the girl replied just as them were stopping through the door. For a second, Kaito felt tempted to ask Gakupo to transform and just fly them away from the plaza. But no, a fae flying in a place like this would get shot in a second.

“It’s just dye.”

“No, it isn’t. We’ve done our homework… _Kaito_.”

Those words made Kaito stop despite himself. Gakupo wobbled by his side, caught off guard. _The Pale Line mentioned Gakupo was seen in the company of someone with blue hair_ , Kaito remembered with a jolt. Even if they didn’t know his name, it turned out to be uncommon enough that these hunters had managed to figure out his identity.

Kaito turned to look at the girl. She met his eyes with a malicious smile. “Leave us alone,” he growled before he resumed walking again.

“Not a chance. They are offering a ton of money for him.” As she said this, her friends quickly surrounded the duo.

“What’s the problem, you fags can’t run?” One of the young men laughed coarsely.

“They’re already on their way here. Give it up,” another one said.

“What do we do?” Gakupo muttered almost imperceptibly, but Kaito had no answer. He wasn’t strong enough to get into fisticuffs against so many people and win. Gakupo obviously couldn’t help, given his mobility issues. A quick escape was out from the list of options, for the same reason. Going to the guards for help against the group was even worse, since the gang was bound to mention Gakupo’s true nature, causing him to change.

“Oh, here they are already,” A third boy mentioned as a black car rolled into the plaza, clearly ignoring the traffic signs forbidding entry.

 _No!_ Without thinking, Kaito attacked the nearest young man, leaving Gakupo to crumble to his knees. The girl and one of the boys jumped to restrain the fae while the remaining two rushed to attack Kaito from the back. Kaito managed to grab his first opponent and pushed him in the direction of his friends, then jumped backwards. The young man crashed with one of them, but the other dodged him and lunged at Kaito; they tumbled to the floor, with the bounty hunter on top.

Kaito began to sense people shouting nearby, but most of his attention was focused on parrying the blows coming from above. Then, suddenly, a beloved voice began to sing. The familiar notes sent a chill down Kaito’s spine, just as the crowd around them screamed. Even closer, Kaito heard gasps and the now familiar sound of clothes being torn apart.

Gakupo sang again, and the clothes on the back of the young man straddling Kaito caught fire. He screamed and rolled off, letting Kaito struggle to his feet. As he did, he noticed that the rest of the gang was plagued by small fires on their clothes as well. Gakupo rose to his feet with wings outstretched and stretched his arms towards Kaito.

Kaito hesitated, and turned to look at the black car. Four men in black suits had already descended from it and were running in their direction with, armed with metallic bats. From the other side, the guards from the museum were coming closer with weapons drawn. The visitors to the plaza were escaping disorderly in all directions.

“Let’s go!” Gakupo embraced him impatiently.

“They’ll shoot you!” Kaito cried out, fighting to pry himself free.

“We have to try!” Gakupo pulled him closer and jumped into the air singing, but before he could rise a couple meters of the ground, his song broke into a pained scream and they plummeted back down, rolling on the hard slabs of painted stone.

“Gakupo!” Kaito struggled to sit, rubbing his head. His eyes widened when he saw Gakupo twitching on the ground, screaming in agony. A sudden realization made him examine the ‘metallic bats’ in the hands of the Pale Line thugs with more attention, and he confirmed that they were the same model of baton the maintenance man at the museum had used on Gakupo once. Two of the men were pointing the batons in Gakupo’s direction, with a third speeding towards Kaito and the last one, the only one without any visible weapons, rushing to meet the guards.

“Don’t hurt him, please! You don’t-“  Kaito began saying, before the Pale Line man bum-rushed him, making him land once again on the ground. Without uttering a word, the man pulled out a handkerchief soaked in something and pressed it against his mouth and nose. Before Kaito could realize what was going on, he was sinking into darkness.

* * *

 

Soft material against his cheek, so very soft. Warm, perfumed air touching his skin. Gakupo groaned, clutching the pillow with one hand. No matter how comfortable this human bed was, there was still soreness to his back and neck from the night before. Perhaps Kaito had slept on top of him? And where was Kaito anyway? He couldn't sense him nearby…

_You can't escape us!_

The cold voice suddenly resonated inside of his head. In a flash, he recalled the plaza, the crowd parting at the sight of him and Kaito's panicked expression. And the pain, the horrible pain biting at his connection with the magical energies.

He opened his eyes and pushed himself into a kneeling position. He was in a heavily decorated room, on a wide bed. Just like the hotel room he had shared with Kaito, this one seemed to have many mirrored surfaces. Perhaps it was fashionable amongst humans. He observed his naked reflection with bemusement.

“They took the clothes Kaito chose for me,” he said, growing angrier with every syllable. Torn or not, they were an important gift.  

The only thing he was wearing at the moment was a slave collar; it felt like the hand of a blight spirit, squeezing the life out of him. He tried to sing, and immediately the feeling increased, forcing him to lean forward, gasping for air.

He distantly heard the door creak open, and the sound of footsteps. “Now, now cutie, behave yourself, and the collar won't hurt you.”

Dizzy, the endling waited for a few seconds until the choking sensation and nausea subsided, then he looked up.

The small, jolly man they had met on the alleyway was sitting on a nearby couch, smiling affably. He gestured with his hand, beckoning the fae, then patted one of his thick thighs. “Sit with me and I'll explain how things are going to be from now on.”

Gakupo stared at him blankly.

“I know you can understand me, cutie. My associates heard you talking to that boy. How about we drop the pretense and speak plainly?”

“...I'm listening.”

“I told you to sit here with me. It wasn't a request.” The smile on the man’s face remained unchanged, but his eyes glinted dangerously.

Gakupo considered his options for a second. His temper demanded nothing less but to be as uncooperative as possible: on the other hand, if he couldn't work magic, he would have to escape using other means. And the first step was to lull his captors into complacency. He pouted childishly and rose from the bed.

“Very good,” the man said amicably. Once Gakupo was seated on his lap, he nodded approvingly, running his hands along the endling's skin.  “Very good indeed. A shame about the scars on your arm, but the rest of you makes up for it.” Despite his admiring tone and the way he was touching him, there was something very dispassionate about his attitude. He was examining a new product, testing to see if it worked properly.  Gakupo turned his face to a side, repulsed by the sensation. At that instant, all he wanted was to punch the smug man into oblivion.

The jovial man chuckled, then grabbed Gakupo's chin and forced him to stare back at him. His other hand continued its humiliating exploration, causing the fae to bite his lip. “There is room for feistiness here, I'll admit. Some clients _do_ love taming a cute little beast…” At this point, his fingers squeezed hard, making the fae squirm and gasp. “However, I prefer well-behaved children, remember that.” His grip loosened, and he patted Gakupo's head.

“Do as you are told, and you'll have anything you want. Toys, jewelry, delicious food; your life will be a thousand times better than what you had out there.”

“And then I'll get sick and die,” Gakupo pointed out bitterly. “I can't live stuck inside of this room.”

“Who said you had to? Once you prove we can trust you, we'll allow to free reign of the facility, like the other fae. We aren't a cheap freak-show like that museum. Furthermore, we monitor the health of all of our active assets closely. You especially, as our first boy- we couldn't possibly squander a business opportunity such as this.”

“Business opportunity?” Gakupo repeated with uncertainty.

“Many prospective clients in the past requested we had boys as well. And now we can finally start aiming for that market.” The man caressed Gakupo's cheek and continued in a confidential tone, as if sharing a wonderful secret, “All of our online announcements regarding you have generated thousands of views. Many powerful men have already confirmed they will come to the auction.”

“What's auction?” The man's words were difficult to understand, not that Gakupo had any doubts that they meant bad things for him.

“Your first night with a client is important, cutie. Many are willing to pay a lot of money to be that client. The one that pays the most wins.”

The fae didn't have an answer to that. Was he supposed to be proud of the fact they considered him a valuable tool? Apparently so, since the man certainly expected him to act grateful.

“Don’t be nervous, the girls will teach you some techniques before the auction,” the man reassured him, mistaking his silence for fear of not performing correctly. It was so off-base that it almost made the fae laugh.  “You're supposed to be innocent and submissive, just do what the client asks and you’ll be fine.”

At least they were going to let him speak with the fae girls before the auction. Gakupo focused on that, shutting out the rest of the man's words. Once Titania’s identity was clear, they’d find a way to escape. But that meant acting as ‘innocent and submissive’ as the man hoped, at least for the time being. So he sighed and lowered his head in apparent defeat. “I’m ready to serve you, owner.”

“Call me Master, cutie.” The man grinned, as if enjoying a personal joke. “Ah, remember this?” From a pocket of his jacket, he produced a familiar necklace with purple gems and fastened it around Gakupo’s neck. It was loose enough to rest over his chest, under the collar. “Since you're being so reasonable, you can have it.”

“Thank you Master, it’s really beautiful.”

“Good boy. Now let me stand, there. I'll send someone along with food, you must be starving.”

The man rose from the couch a bit stiffly, and then went for the door. As his chubby hand touched the knob, Gakupo suddenly blurted out, “Master, can I ask you something?”

The man’s eyes flashed again dangerously, but he only uttered a disinterested, “Yes?”

“Is Kaito- the boy that was with me safe?”

“Oh, don’t worry. We agreed that any further trouble was unnecessary and he went home unharmed,” the man answered mildly and opened the door. Gakupo managed to glimpse a luxurious corridor without windows before the door was shut and locked again. He sighed, this time for real; for the moment there was nothing to do but sit and wait.

“I hope that Kaito is doing well, at least,” he mumbled in a low tone. Despite everything, the memory of Kaito's smile calmed him, just a bit. He didn’t allow himself to dwell on the possibility that the Master of the Pale Line was lying. It was impossible to accept.

* * *

 

_Clink, clink, clink, clink…_

It was surprising enervating to hear the constant twinkling of the jewelry hanging off him. The chain crossing his chest, the ornate necklaces, armlets, bracelets and anklets, even the colorful _pareo_ wrapped around his hips had jingling decorations hanging from its borders.

Perhaps it was just a matter of getting used to it. All the girls Gakupo had seen in his first walk down the corridors of the Pale Line seemed at ease with the jewelry covering them. Silver and gold mixed freely with russet, brown and ivory fur; so far, the girls he’d seen had all been earth fae of some kind, with bushy tails and perky animal ears. Like him, they were outfitted with slave collars.

Next to their delicate and colorful figures, the few clients at that hour seemed completely bland. They were middle-aged and old men, presumably wealthy businessmen, looking very satisfied with themselves and the world around them. A couple glanced in his direction as he went from place to place, though most were sufficiently occupied with their chosen girls.

After wandering past several posh rooms, Gakupo reached a big room with an indoor pool. There were small trees and bushes in marble planters all around it and a vaulted crystal ceiling. A fae girl was doing laps in the pool, and a couple of clients lounged placidly on deckchairs. One of them noticed him and waved his hand beckoning him to come closer.

Filled with trepidation, Gakupo obeyed. The client was an Asian male with greying hair, wrapped in a bathrobe. By his side stood a petite fae with long pale hair, with the pink ears and tail of a mouse. Fine white fur covered her limbs, growing thinner as it approached her torso. In contrast, her stomach and exposed chest were completely smooth. The girl had a crystal bottle in her hands, which she used to fill the man’s cup every so often.

Gakupo kneeled by the side of the deckchair at the same time he noticed a spark of irritation behind the mouse girl’s carefully constructed smile. Her client either ignored it or didn’t even realize it, focused as he was on Gakupo. He sat up and cupped the endling’s face with his hands, examining it closely.

“So you’re the one I’ve been hearing so much about. I can see why,” he smiled, displaying his crooked front teeth. “I thought they were keeping you locked away until the auction, though.”

“I was allowed by the Master to inspect my…my new home.” Gakupo lowered his eyes to avoid the uncomfortable stare.

“You could inspect IA’s room with me,” the man replied with a laugh, and stood up, forcing the endling to do the same.

“Mister Takano has me, he doesn’t need this one!” The mouse girl, presumably IA, lifted her tail in the air and pouted. Her glare was more than a little confusing for Gakupo, since it wasn’t like he was purposefully trying to take her client away from her.

The client ruffled her soft pale hair. “You’re coming too.”  IA still looked rather nonplussed, but nodded and placed the bottle on a nearby table. “Come on,” he said directed towards Gakupo, and began pulling him by the forearm.

Out of thin air, one of the black-suited thugs appeared. Though his face remained as stony as ever, he politely addressed Takano. “Excuse me, but the boy isn’t servicing clients at the moment. We’re terribly sorry for the inconvenience.”

Takano gave an exaggerated sigh, still smiling. “It _did_ seem too good to be true.” He picked up IA in his arms, making her squeak. “But we can do without him, right IA?”

“Yes, Mister Takano!”

“Good girl.” He began walking towards one of the exits, with IA clinging to his neck. Before he crossed the door, Takano turned partially. “See you at the auction, Gakupo.” The mouse girl peeked at the endling over Takano’s shoulder and made a face at him, just before the pair disappeared from sight.

“Don’t engage the customers,” the man of the Pale Line said acridly and walked away without waiting a response.

Gakupo scratched his head, puzzled at the fae girl’s reaction. It didn’t look like she was attracted to that man Takano, so why the hostility? Nevertheless, it was a shame that he couldn’t speak to her alone; there was something about her that demanded more careful attention, a strange sensation barely surpassing the threshold of his senses. Perhaps IA possessed a great power that the slave collar was keeping at bay.

Pensive, the endling sat on the border of the pool, submersing his legs to his shins. He leaned back, letting his eyes absorb the sky beyond the crystal ceiling. There was something off about it, he gradually noticed, in the speed of the clouds traversing the blue space and the intensity of their hue.

“It’s artificial,” a voice informed him in the language of the Warm Isles, along with the sound of a small splash.

His gaze travelled downwards, and he found that the girl he had seen swimming back and forth when he entered the room was now resting her arms on the border of the pool, right next to him.

“We’re underground,” she continued, pushing her long dark locks out of the way. “Oh, I’m Mew, by the way.”

“Gakupo.”

“I knew that.” She smiled, showing her sharp teeth. Like IA, she was an earth fae, but she had greyish cat ears and spotted fur. “Everyone is talking about you.”

“Oh.”

“IA is just pissed that you’re stealing her popularity as the most requested escort. Once things are back to normal, she’ll be more sociable.”

Gakupo’s eyes widened. “She _likes_ being used like this?”

Mew let out a loud chuckle. “Not everyone comes here as old as you or me. IA doesn’t know any other life beside this.” Despite her tone, her merriment doesn’t reach her eyes. “She’s lucky, in a way- hunger, cold and the fear of the hunted mean nothing to her.”

“I’d rather die of starvation or exposure than to be a coddled toy.”

“Proud words,” Mew smiled ironically. “But maybe you’ll feel different once you get a taste of all the Pale Line has to offer. You must’ve heard the speech by now: we’re valuable and worth every expense. It’s not a lie, let me tell you. The world belongs to humans, but at least in here we get to share a bit of their wealth.”

“…I can’t accept this.” How could he? Simply give up on all he knew, and trade his hopes for pretty things and a full stomach? Besides, Goya and the others were counting on him.

And there was his human, his shy, wonderfully brave and wise human. He couldn’t go through life without seeing Kaito again or hearing his laugh. He couldn’t let the clients of the Pale Line mar the memory of Kaito’s love with their touch.

“You gain nothing by making things harder for yourself,” Mew said, interrupting his thoughts. “…But I guess it’s up to you, isn’t it? All I ask is that you be patient with IA. She’s our little queen.”

“Queen?” Gakupo repeated slowly, as an idea began forming inside of his head.

“It’s just a manner of speaking, but there’s always been something special about IA. You feel it too, don’t you?”

“Now that you mention it…” Gakupo turned to look at the door at the far end of the room. Could it be that the little mouse girl was Titania?

“I think the humans feel it was well, although they probably aren’t aware of it on a conscious level. That’s part of what makes her so popular with them, I bet.”

“Mew, the Master said some of you girls would teach me, um… what to do with my first client. Do you think IA would agree to help me with that?” _I have to talk with her in private, somehow._

Mew climbed out of the pool and sat by his side, dripping wet. She examined his face with interest. “What’s this? Do you fancy her?”

“I…”

“It would be a laugh if the boy she’s so concerned about became her lover.”

Gakupo averted his eyes, analyzing the situation. Perhaps it was a good idea to let Mew and others think his interest in the mouse girl was romantic, until he was sure he could trust them. “She _is_ very cute,” he said, adopting an air of shyness.

“Ehehehe, that’s just lovely. Tell the Master she’s the one you want, and I’ll speak with her. How about that?”

How accommodating. Even as he nodded in agreement, Gakupo felt some suspicion. Could it be that the Master ordered Mew to approach him? “Why are you being so helpful?”

Mew laughed again, scratching behind one of her ears. “I’m bored, Gakupo. This existence isn’t exactly mentally stimulating, so being a busybody is all I have left to amuse myself. Now, if there’s anything you’d like to ask me, speak. My next client should be here in half an hour.”

Gakupo nodded, determined. “Yes, tell me as much of this place as you can.” The more information he had about the Pale Line, the easier it would be to find a way to escape them.


	9. Chapter 9

Gakupo waited in the extravagant bedroom, absently playing with one of his bracelets. One of the girls (hopefully IA), was supposed to come for his ‘lesson.’  Yet in truth, his thoughts were completely divorced from his mission at the moment. He missed Kaito, pure and simple.

How easy it had been to get used to his presence! They had known each other for a short time, and yet Gakupo had so many memories to treasure. Deservedly or not, Kaito had protected and cherished him beyond measure. Even if the human truly was gone from his life, the remembrance alone should’ve been enough to fill his heart.

But no, it wasn’t. It was only his second day trapped inside of the Pale Line and already Gakupo felt like someone had split him in two. Perhaps it would dull in time like other aches, but for the moment the loss felt worse than being in a cage again.

A knock at the door distracted Gakupo from his thoughts. “Please come in,” he said wearily.

The door opened, but instead of the petite mouse girl, Mew stood leaning on the doorframe with a cheeky smile on her face. “Surprised to see me?”

“I take it that IA didn’t want to come,” Gakupo guessed.

“He’s so lame! He’s _soooo_ lame!” Mew affected a higher pitch of voice, clearly meant as an imitation of IA’s voice. However, as soon as she noticed Gakupo’s expression, she added in her normal tone, “Don’t worry, I’m sure she’ll warm up to you eventually.”

Gakupo shook his head. He didn’t have time for ‘eventually’, the auction was the following day. However, he couldn’t demonstrate too much urgency, or the Master or his goons might realize his passivity was an act. But even if IA listened to him, they probably wouldn’t be able to escape before the event.

Mew plopped on the bed next to him, rolling and stretching her body luxuriously, making her anklets and necklace clatter and clink. “So, what are we going to do?”

“I mean no offense, but I’d rather not _do_ anything.”

“I’m just teasing you, Gakupo. We still have a choice when we are dealing among ourselves, you know?” she laughed, as if she was saying something completely trivial.

“This place is horrible.”

“Sounds like you haven’t lived in the dumps I have,” Mew replied, grabbing a plump pillow. She placed it under her head and continued, “I was thin as a whisker when they found me. My hair was falling out!” She ran her hands along her naked torso, obviously proud of the shiny coat of fur. Then, she poked Gakupo’s ribs from behind with a finger. “You know what it means to be hungry, I bet.”

That was true; sometimes foraging and fishing didn’t go well.  Goya had forbidden him to farm in any extensive capacity, since humans might notice any major artificial alterations to the valley and investigate. Straying too far from home to gather food was also dangerous, again due to the humans. Unfortunately, that meant his ability to stack food for winter was limited, so the specter of starvation was never too far.

“I know,” Gakupo conceded. “But others have it worse out there.” Goya, for instance, since he mostly ate meat. He honestly didn’t know how the deep dwellers kept Prima fed, given the exorbitant needs of a dragon, though magic was certainly involved in some capacity.

“You are just reinforcing my point there, feathers.”

“So you wouldn’t escape, given the chance?” Gakupo had been vaguely wondering what to do about the rest of the girls for a while now. He was only meant to extract Titania, but it seemed wrong to leave the others here. But what if everyone else was as complacent as IA and Mew?

“I don’t know…Where would I go? I might have these,” Mew scratched behind one of her furry pointed ears, “but that doesn’t mean I want to live like a hunted beast.”

 _That’s precisely why I’m here_ , Gakupo dearly wanted to say, but remained silent _. Titania is the key to our freedom._

The conversation lulled, once it became clear Gakupo wasn’t going to answer; Mew playfully batted the end of his tail for a while, and then curled up against his back, shrouding herself with his wings. “Wake me up in a couple of hours, ok? I have a client at six.”

“…Sure.”

***

The evening of the third day came: it was time for the auction.

Gakupo had spent the early hours of the day searching for escape routes; there was nothing too obvious, especially since he couldn’t work spells, but there were some faint possibilities. The place had ventilation ducts connecting to the surface and service tunnels for maintenance jobs. Moreover, the personnel in charge of cooking and cleaning after the fae wasn’t combat-trained. Some even looked somewhat sympathetic, or at least susceptible of being seduced in exchange for help.

Emboldened by those observations, the wind fae attempted to speak to IA again. And that’s where things started to go wrong: she had absolutely rebuffed all his attempts at conversation, even going so far as to complain to the Master about him. As a result, Gakupo spent all afternoon locked inside his room, until the owner himself arrived to make sure he was properly adorned for the event.

Once the fae was done getting dressed, the Master hooked a leash to the front of the slave collar and took a step backwards, examining the end result with a critical eye. “That expression won’t do at all. Smile,” he said and gave a little tug at Gakupo’s leash.

Swallowing the mixture of anxiety and anger that was beginning to overwhelm him, Gakupo did his best to obey. It was enough for the man, who patted his head approvingly. “Much better; what’s the use of all that if you don’t show an inviting expression?”

‘All that’ obviously referred to the metal, precious stones and gossamer covering his figure. Gakupo liked shiny things like any other fae, but he couldn’t help but find all the ostentatious luxury a bit ridiculous. Of course, the revealing nature of what Gakupo and the girls were told to wear was meant to display their figures, but it also was very overdone, in a way that unsubtly showed the wealth of the Pale Line to its clients.

The Master adjusted the veil on Gakupo’s head and nodded. “You’re going to do well today, cutie.”

“Yes, Master.”

The man consulted his golden pocket-watch. “It’s time to go. Our guests are waiting.”

The guard waiting at a respectful distance opened the door, letting the Master and Gakupo pass through, before falling in step behind them. The three of them walked towards a part of the facility Gakupo hadn’t explored yet, but he kept his gaze fixed on the chain connecting his collar and the hand of the stodgy man before him, too upset to feel curious. The fae focused on its swinging motion, stubbornly refusing every other information offered by his senses.

“Watch it,” a curt voice cut through his gloom, and Gakupo realized he was in front of a short staircase. The master was standing on the first step, looking at him with barely disguised impatience.

Gakupo looked around him, feeling almost dazed. Based on his limited experience with human buildings, they were right next to a small stage, complete with velvety curtains. Past the heavy fabric, he could hear a voice making some kind of announcement. In response, a murmur like the wave surged briefly. There were many people at the other side of the curtain, and several seemed to be smoking, given the stench escaping from beyond the folds. It almost made Gakupo retch.

“Remember, smile and walk straight.” The Master recovered his usual falsely jovial tone and tugged at his leash. The guard placed a heavy hand on Gakupo’s back, between his wings, and pushed to reinforce the order. It wasn’t necessary; what was he supposed to do but obey, at this point? The guard was even carrying one of those rods specially tailored to torture fae. So Gakupo climbed obediently, hitching up the thin tunic he was wearing.

The trio walked past the curtains, and Gakupo was immediately blinded for a few seconds due to the change of illumination. Potent lights targeted him, leaving the space before him as a dark blur filled with smoke and rows of small red lights. He wasn’t even certain of the size of the room. At first, all he could tell was that a crowd was staring fixedly at him. There was something else tugging at his senses, but before he could calm down and attempt to identify it, the Master began to welcome the clients to the auction.

Gakupo paid little attention to the following speech. What did it matter? He felt both strangely distant from everything and painfully aware of all the trivially uncomfortable things about his situation: the draining feeling of the collar, the tainted atmosphere scratching at his airways and the little tugs the Master gave him as he gesticulated during his sale pitch.

 _This is what you wanted, didn’t you? You thought doing this would redeem you somehow_. The voice resonated inside of his head; his own voice, mocking and full of bitterness. But _you are no hero; you’re the last remainder of something that has no place in this world. The world keeps spinning without them, and will continue on without you._

A stronger tug made him gasp. The Master’s eyes bore into him, the darkness within leaking like noxious muck. Only then Gakupo realized how close his eyes were to tearing up, both due to the smoke in the air and the stress of the situation. “Stop that right now. Don’t you dare test me, fae.”

His captor gave him another pull, forcing Gakupo to walk meekly alongside him, tracing the contour of the T-shaped stage. For the first time he began to make out faces in the dimly lit room, as some clients scooted closer to examine him. There were no compassionate faces; on the contrary, some seemed a bit perplexed when he didn’t smile back at them.

_They aren’t so deluded as to think I enjoy being treated like this, are they?_

After that, he was made to stand in the middle of the stage, as the clients placed their bids. To Gakupo’s surprise, this was made without any shouting. The Master and his assistants stood to a side with electronic pads, announcing numbers and more numbers. After a couple seconds, Gakupo figured out that the announcements were preceded by one of the small red lights going green. It just made the situation more unreal to him.

Before he knew it, the auction was over. One of the clients stood up and approached the stage, becoming a distinct figure in the process. It was a towering man in a grey suit, with a big belly and a wide frame, who looked like he could’ve snapped Gakupo in half with barely any effort. He let a roaring laugh at Gakupo’s wary expression, before caressing his face with a big hand. “Gakupo, right? Don’t be scared.”

“Wind fae are very sensitive,” the Master commented with a satisfied smile, evidently relieved that the client found Gakupo’s reticence endearing. Turning to the fae, he said, “Mister Averin is a very important man, behave yourself.” He offered the end of the leash to Averin, but the man laughed again and picked up Gakupo, carrying him like a doll in his arms.

“This way,” the Master waved his hand, showing the way back to Gakupo’s bedroom.

The way back felt significantly shorter; Gakupo nervously chewed on his lower lip, the only movement he allowed himself as Averin carried him. Without his powers, he had absolutely no chance to fend off such a big human. The only choice was to let him do as he pleased and find a way to escape later.

_Just don’t think. Don’t think at all. You are not here, it’s not happening, don’t think…_

The door to his bedroom opened, and a voice told Averin to enjoy the night. There was something about ringing a bell as well.

_You are not here, don’t think about it…_

Averin sat down on the bed and in turn made Gakupo sit on his lap. For a moment, he just observed the fae with a hungry look on his face; then he removed his veil and sank his hands in his hair, rubbing the area behind Gakupo’s feathers. “I did my homework, see? I know where to touch you.” His words were cut off by a knock on the door. He frowned before answering irritably, “You promised no interruptions!”

“Special service, sir, it will only be a second,” answered a youthful voice at the other side. Gakupo’s mind cleared at the sound of it, although it only added more uncertainty to the situation. Why was _he_ in the Pale Line? What was he doing?

Averin groaned under his breath. “Fine, come in.”

A young man wearing a tuxedo entered the room carrying a bottle of liquor and a cup in his hands. Said hands had vicious claws in them, azure like the youth’s hair and horns. At the sight of him, Averin gruff expression changed into awe. “What the-! They never said they had more than one of you!”

Kaito lowered his eyes, red-faced. “I’m…I belong to the owner.”

Averin let out another of his loud laughs and grabbed the cup, taking a small sip of its reddish liquor. Immediately, he made a face and threw the cup to the ground. Thanks to the thick carpet, it just bounced harmlessly and rolled under the bed. “Your maître needs to be shot and buried, if that’s what passes for a special treat around here.” He wiped his mouth with a handkerchief from the breast pocket of his suit.

Kaito looked dismayed, in a way that made Gakupo guess that whatever he was planning, it depended on Averin sampling the liquid in its entirety. Was it poison, perhaps? Whatever the case, Averin didn’t seem too bothered by the incident. He smiled once more and added, “I ‘ll let it slide, since I’m here for the company. Put that swill down somewhere and come closer.”

Kaito looked around awkwardly and his eyes found a coffee table nearby. He placed the bottle on top of it and slipped a hand inside his jacket, as if checking an inner pocket. He quickly removed it, looking so plainly suspicious that it amazed Gakupo that the big man didn’t suspect foul play. Once Kaito was back at his side, Averin circled his waist with an arm and pulled him closer. Kaito gasped, clumsily trying to pry himself free while exclaiming, “The Master won’t like this!”

“Settle down,” the steely tone of Averin’s voice admitted nothing but complete obedience. It was a reminder that he was likely a man used to obtaining whatever he wanted, no matter how expensive. His next line all that confirmed it. “I’ll pay extra for you.”

Kaito stopped struggling, dumbfounded. For the first time, his eyes met Gakupo's. _You shouldn't have come here_ , Gakupo thought, seeing the turmoil in them. _This shouldn't be your problem._ Swallowing his own nervousness, he pouted childishly as he grabbed fistfuls of Averin's coat. "You chose me! Don't you want me anymore?" To his right, he heard Kaito sputter incoherently, but he kept his eyes on Averin, trying to keep his attention.

The big human released Kaito, but Gakupo's relief lasted just a second. "Who said anything about that? You think I can't handle both of you at the same time?" He shook his head in disbelief. "Take that suit off, you," he barked in Kaito’s direction and then added with a lopsided smile. "You can join in when you're ready."

 _No, run away while you still have the chance! Please run, Kaito. I’ll keep him busy._ No matter how happened next, at least Gakupo could take solace in the fact that Kaito had tried to help him once more.

Without even bothering to see if Kaito complied, Averin turned around and laid Gakupo on the bed. He then pushed his knees apart and kneeled between his legs. "You don't get to wear that innocent look after what you just said, Gakupo," he laughed under his breath, unfastening the fae’s belt. "You’re as filthy as the rest-" his voice stopped abruptly and his eyes went round. All with good reason, since now there was a fat syringe sticking from his neck, jammed there by an irate Kaito.

"Don't you _ever_ touch him again," Kaito said in a low tone, shaking with anger.

Averin’s hand plucked the syringe out, but it was already late: whatever liquid it previously contained was already having an effect on him. He blinked stupidly, his movements slow and uncoordinated. Before he could react, Kaito struck him with one of the elegant chairs of the room. The chair resisted the blow quite well, only losing a leg, but the man fell from the bed, thankfully without dragging Gakupo down with him.

The fae sat up, still shaken, and stared at Kaito. The young man was holding the leg of the chair as a bat and breathing heavily, as if the effort had exhausted him. However, his eyes still sparkled fiercely as he waited for Averin to get up. When he was satisfied that the man was out for the count, his face softened and his gaze sought Gakupo. “Are you alright?”

Instead of answering, Gakupo did the only thing that seemed natural: he propelled himself forward and desperately hugged Kaito, almost causing him to stumble. Any response Gakupo could’ve said was lost under a deluge of emotion, as shame and relief and love for his brave human collided and clashed until he had nothing left but choked sobs.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t get in here before…Gakupo, they didn’t hurt you, right? Please tell they didn’t hurt you.” Kaito waited, but there was no answer. “Gakupo?” Still nothing. “Gakupo, please talk to me…” The endling couldn’t see Kaito’s expression given that his face was buried in the young man’s shoulder, but his voice sounded increasingly distraught as he went on. It made the horrible shame he felt for dragging Kaito into this mess all the more unbearable.

He pulled away, although he wanted nothing more to remain in Kaito’s arms. The problem was, of course, that he didn’t deserve it. Once again Kaito had needed to come in his rescue, proving that his survival all these years had been a mistake.

Kaito wiped his eyes with a sleeve, looking more and more worried. “Please say something!”

“Thank you for coming, Kaito. I…” How could he say words like ‘fine’ in this situation? Even if it was what Kaito wanted to hear, his innate nature as a fae made it very difficult to lie. Words and music were the medium that magic used to construct reality, after all. In the end, he managed to spit out a meager reassurance out. “They…they didn’t injure me.”

Kaito didn’t look placated by that at all, but before he could say anything, something inside his jacket bleeped. “Oh! We need to go, right now! Did you found Titania?”

Good question. Where was IA, right now? In her room, entertaining a client? Near the pool, which Mew claimed was her favorite spot? Gakupo approached the door, thankful for something else to focus his mind on. “I think so. Let’s go.”

Kaito grabbed his hand. “Wait!” From the seemingly inexhaustible inner pocket of his jacket, he produced a thin tube. “If we run into anyone, throw this at them and cover your nose and mouth.” He produced another one and mimicked a tossing motion.

Gakupo nodded and gingerly opened the door. The corridor was deserted, except for a rather conspicuous guard crumpled on the floor near the door.

“I had to knock him out,” Kaito said when Gakupo looked at him perplexed.

Of course, the question was _how,_ but the young man had turned out to be even more resourceful than Gakupo expected. Despite his renewed sense of inadequacy, the fae felt his heart tremble with admiration. He was truly blessed to have met someone so wonderful.

“Left or right?” Kaito asked, ignorant of the thoughts bouncing inside the endling’s head.

“This way,” Gakupo pulled him towards the right, towards the indoor pool. It was reasonably close by, if they crossed the smoking lounge. The pair advanced as quickly as possible, only slowing down slightly when the corridor turned or intersected another route.

“I disrupted their cameras just before I ran into that guy back there. They’ll be here any moment now to check them up,” Kaito commented. Right on cue, they heard a muffled shout somewhere in the vicinity of Gakupo’s room.

They ran past the deserted lounge abandoning every attempt at subtlety, and the corridor at the other side opened up soon enough to reveal their destination. Gakupo immediately saw IA pouring some wine into a client’s cup. She wasn’t alone, however. Most of the girls were there alongside clients of their own. Worse still, the Master and his men were there as well. It appeared as if the visitors to the auction had moved there to socialize and enjoy the regular services of the Pale Line.

The Master dropped the glass of champagne he had been drinking and gaped at Kaito. “Horns?! All along, you were one of them in disguise!?” Before he could continue, Kaito’s projectile hit him right on the forehead. It immediately burst into a huge cloud enveloping him and his goons. Gakupo threw his tube a moment later at some guards approaching then from another corner and Kaito followed with a third one, plunging the room into complete chaos.

“Which one?” Kaito shouted to be heard over the yelling and coughing. Gakupo guided him towards the place where IA’s pale fur shone through the smoke, but in the way, Kaito stopped to get the attention of an unassuming and lean older man. Whoever it was, as soon as Kaito touched his elbow, he nodded and followed them, grabbing Kaito’s shoulder for guidance.

“No guns! Get him alive!” The Master shouted between coughs. “Code Alexandria!”

Every fae in the vicinity fell to the ground, clutching their necks. Gakupo had been right next to IA by then, and both fell to the ground, mindlessly trashing about. Splashing sounds were heard as someone, fae or client, fell into the pool. Others were trying to escape the room, trampling over anything or anyone in their way. The Master's goons were blindly waving their batons around, but even when they pointed directly at Kaito, all it did was to dispel the spell altering his appearance.

Gakupo couldn’t see or hear anything, engulfed as he was by the pain. But as abruptly as they had come, the invisible hands tearing at his being went away. He remained where he was, barely aware of IA’s body bumping against his.

Hands pulled at him and his body changed position. Gradually, Gakupo’s senses returned to normal, offering a very pleasant sensation: Kaito was cradling him in his arms, rocking back and forth softly. They weren’t alone; IA huddled on the ground next to them, observing the surrounding scenery with a panicked expression. To their right, the older man was rubbing his bruised knee furiously. The group was on a grassy slope close to Prima’s hideout, dyed silver by the light of the moon.

“This is going to leave a mighty bruise,” the older man commented.

Kaito pulled back a bit and looked at the man with worry. “You didn't break anything, did you?”

“Oh, no, no.” The man said in a reassuring tone. His eyes focused on Gakupo’s curious expression and he smiled kindly. “Before we go any further, you should introduce us.”

“This is my father, Gakupo.”

“Naoto Fuuga,” Gakupo said, recalling the name Kaito had mentioned at some point. Looking at him closely, he could see some similarities in their features, although his eyes and hair were dark.

“That’s right. And who’s the young lady?”

“This is IA, she’s the one-”

At the sound of her name, IA stood up and backed away from the men, snarling. “What did you do?! ” Her eyes focused on Gakupo with sheer hatred. “Leave me alone already!”

Gakupo cringed. He pulled away from Kaito and stood up as well, stretching out his hands in surrender. “I’m sorry this was so abrupt, but you gave me no chance to explain. You’re the next Titania.”

“I don’t know what that means, and I don’t care!” IA yelled. “Bring me back!”

“Back?” Gakupo repeated with disappointment. Was it too late for IA to appreciate the outside world?

“Yes, back! I’m the best girl, the Master needs me!”

“I can’t do that, I’m sorry.” Gakupo stepped forward to place a calming hand on her shoulder.

It turned out to be the wrong move, because IA’s fury reached the boiling point and she clawed at his face, screaming. “I hate you, I hate you! Bring me back!” Gakupo was so surprised that he didn’t try to defend himself, even when her claws drew blood from his cheek.

At that point, Kaito stepped forward and forcibly pushed IA to the ground, where she continued to shout trying to break free from under his weight. “Don’t you dare hurt him!” Kaito growled at her, in the same tone he had used with Averin and actually slammed her head against the ground, leaving IA dazed.

“Kaito, that’s too harsh!” Mr. Fuuga said, staring at his son with surprise.

“Dad, I need some anesthetic,” Kaito said, shifting position over IA to free one of his hands. He stretched it out in his father’s direction.

“Is that really necessary?”

“Please, Dad- We need to get moving, we can’t reason with her right now!”

“...Alright, but we’ll be talking about this later.” The older man reached inside his coat and produced a rag and a dark bottle. After soaking the fabric, he knelt next to Kaito and IA and pressed it against her face. “I’m terribly sorry about this, Miss IA.”

The liquid did its job and IA’s eyes closed. She looked incongruously peaceful, as she laid there on the grass. As soon as Kaito was sure she wasn’t going to rise, he turned away from her and walked over to Gakupo.

“Are you sure that brat is Titania?” He asked in a low tone as he cleaned the blood from Gakupo’s cheek with his own handkerchief.

“Yes, I can sense the power in her. Don’t you feel it?”  

“All I feel is that I want to pummel her for doing this,” Kaito replied, gingerly touching the claw marks on the fae’s skin with the fabric.

“Yuki can fix it.”

“I know…” Kaito sighed. His other hand played with Gakupo’s hair, as he visibly searched for words to say. His eyes travelled to a side, remembering his father’s presence. “We should go, lead the way.”

Inwardly, Gakupo appreciated Mr. Fuuga’s unconscious interference. Now that the rush of the escape was over, he didn’t feel ready to talk to Kaito in any normal fashion. His unrelenting kindness stung more than the marks on his face.

Kaito and Mr. Fuuga took turns carrying IA, while Gakupo lead the way, Kaito’s handkerchief pressed to his face. The world around him did its best to distract him from his dark thoughts: the breeze played with his hair, feathers and torn tunic and the grass softly caressed his feet and tail. Even the slight coldness of the night was welcomed.

Right before the entrance to the underground hideout came into view, Gakupo heard the sound of trampled trees and bushes. Like a tornado, Goya appeared from behind a rocky formation to their left and ran towards him, paying absolutely no attention to the humans and the earth fae. The wolf-man picked Gakupo up and pressed him against his massive chest with a little howl.

Gakupo’s eyes filled with tears. “Father…”

The wolf-man licked his face while making a strange sound. Except for Gakupo, few beings had ever heard that gurgling laugh.

For a second, every worry inside of the endling went away, evaporating like rain puddles under the sun. He was loved...and he was home.

***

As he watched Gakupo cry happily in his adoptive father’s arms, Kaito felt the tension that had been building inside him ease a little. Whatever had happened in the past between the two, the wolf-man clearly was ecstatic to have his son back safely.

Kaito looked at his father, just in time to see him smile kindly at the scene before him. After the initial moment of surprise, he seemed ready to accept the presence of the immense wolf-like being. His father sensed his gaze and turned to him. “We did good today, didn’t we?”

“Yeah, we did.” Kaito beamed back. Knowing what he did now, he felt foolish for waiting so long to tell his father the truth.

In the end, it had been the Pale Line itself that allowed Mr. Fuuga to finally locate his son. Hours after the fight at the plaza, Kaito woke up to find himself in a white room, with the obvious look of a hospital or clinic. His father was dozing off on a chair next to the bed. He looked completely spent; there were bags under his eyes, he was unshaven and his dark blue suit was rumpled. The pitiful sight made his stomach churn with guilt.

When Kaito tried to sit up, he realized that his wrists were tied to the metallic rails of the bed. The noise as he wrestled with the constraints was enough to rouse his father. He straightened up and looked severely at his son.

“Dad, I…” Kaito stammered. “I’m sorry.”

Mr. Fuuga leaned forward and placed a hand on his son’s head. “Kaito, what happened?” He didn’t look angry, despite all the inconveniences that travelling so far must’ve caused to him. But the look of disappointment was somehow worse. “The police are telling me you stole that fae boy. That’s not true, isn’t it?”

“Dad…” Kaito bit his lower lip. “It’s true.”

His father’s eyes widened. “Why?! Why would you do that?!”

“Because I’m love with him,” Kaito answered miserably.

“What?” His father blinked.

“I love him! I’m sorry, I’m sorry I made you worry, but I had to help him!” Kaito pulled at the restraints again, helplessly.

His father observed him for a long minute. Finally, he sighed and rubbed the bridge of this nose. “Well, the private club isn’t interested on filing a police report, at least. The owner actually invited us to visit them some time and sample their services. Sleazy man.”

“You’ve got their address?!” Kaito stopped struggling.

“Oh…Kaito, no. You’re this close to being deported. Stay away from them and focus on your studies.”

Kaito shook his head repeatedly. “I can’t. I can’t do that to Gakupo.” He stared stubbornly at the bedcovers; the weave blurred before his eyes, dancing capriciously.

“I should’ve known things we’re leading up to this, with the way you were acting,” Mr. Fuuga sighed again. “This is not what I wanted for you, son.”

“I know,” Kaito replied, sniffling. “But I can’t turn my back on him.”

His father stood and walked towards the window; for a long while, he just observed the traffic outside. “We’ll be into a lot of trouble, if we do this.”

“Wh-what?” The words were so unexpected that Kaito wondered if he was dreaming. But the affection in his father’s eyes cleared up any doubts in his mind, even before the next words reached his ears.

“We’re going to rescue your endling, son.”


	10. Chapter 10

“Yes! Yes! She’s the one we need!” Prima cackled with delight, making the sulfuric smell even more potent. The stench gave Kaito a very good reason to be glad that this time around he wasn’t the center of her attention. The dragon was leaning over one of the stone slabs, examining the still unconscious mouse girl.

“This is so unbelievable,” Mr. Fuuga whispered into his ear. Meeting Goya had been amazing enough for him, but now his father seemed about to pass out from sheer excitement. It would’ve made Kaito smile if he didn’t have other things claiming his attention.

Like Gakupo’s behavior, for instance. He seemed almost back to normal when Goya hugged him on the way to the hideout, but now he was staring forlornly into space next to the wolf-man. Even Goya could tell something was wrong, given the concerned look he was giving his adoptive son.

It was clear that something had in fact happened to him during his time in the Pale Line. Despite his best efforts, Kaito couldn’t help but picture what it was, and it made him want to burn down the whole world. The fact that he was in part to blame made him all the more furious. Gakupo didn’t know better, but he did. And yet Kaito had agreed to go to the museum taking basically no precautions, because he needed Gakupo to be pleased with him…Because he was scared of what Gakupo might do if he ever said ‘no’.

“Are you ok?” His father asked.

Kaito nodded, forcing a smile. He had no right to be upset, considering what Gakupo had gone through.

“I’m sure your friend just needs some time. It was quite an intense experience,” his father said.

“I hope it’s that simple. I'm afraid they...” No, he couldn't say such a horrible thing aloud.

His father ruffled his hair, nodding in understanding.

Kaito’s eyes once more focused on the endling, examining his posture and expression. Prima had easily destroyed the collars IA and he wore with a magic spell, but there was still an air about him, as if heavy chains were weighting him down.

They needed to talk. At the very least, Gakupo needed to know he could confide in Kaito, or even use him to vent his anger if it helped in any measure. Kaito was more than ready to do or say anything to make things better for him.

Prima finished her examination and ordered Goya to carry IA to the bedchamber they had prepared for Titania. The wolf-man gave his son a last look of worry before he obeyed the command, but Gakupo didn’t even seem to notice.

“Humans, come forward,” Prima said. “You too, Gakupo.”

Mr. Fuuga gasped and Kaito felt some of the initial nervousness of his first encounter with Prima return as they walked until they were between her front claws. As for Gakupo, he finally seemed to return to the present and calmly knelt by Kaito’s side.  

“You have saved the future of those that breathe magic,” the dragon began. “Once she ascends to the throne, Titania will open the door for us. For this, I must reward you appropriately.”

Kaito and his father looked at each with uncertainty. Books often warned about accepting gifts from non-humans, especially dragons. However, Prima sounded very sincere for once.

“I just want to keep helping Gakupo,” Kaito said cautiously. “Being with him is reward enough.”

Next to him, he heard Gakupo mutter in his native language. Kaito peeked in his direction but the fae evaded his eyes.

“As for me…” Mr. Fuuga chuckled nervously. “I wasn’t going to let my son walk into that place on his own, not that I helped that much. However, I deeply appreciate your generosity, lady dragon.”

“How modest. That makes things simpler for us, though. Gakupo, the young human wishes for you as his reward, aren’t you glad?”

Gakupo lowered his head, letting his hair mask his expression. Something about the silent gesture disheartened Kaito more than an outright refusal. But it was the proper response for a lousy defender like him.

Prima paused, likely noticing Gakupo’s strange behavior for the first time. But she evidently didn’t care enough to ask about its cause. “Take the humans back to the upper level, I had the dwellers clean a few more rooms. Then go see Yuki, she’s waiting in the overlook for you.”

“Yes, Prima.” Gakupo stood up mechanically and started walking, without waiting to see if Mr. Fuuga and Kaito were following him or not. He quickly entered one of the many tunnels, and father and son were forced to jog after the retreating silhouette, lest they lose their way. It almost seemed like he was running away from the light of Kaito’s flashlight.

Once they reached the lake, Kaito managed to catch up and grab Gakupo’s hand. The endling looked at him with some trepidation, but said nothing.

“Those must be the rooms for my dad and me,” Kaito pointed to the two lit doorways at ground level.

Gakupo nodded.

“Dad, can you go on ahead? Gakupo and I need to talk.”

“I believe I can handle things by myself, yes.” Mr. Fuuga replied. “Good night, Gakupo, son.” He waved his hand and went into the closest room, giving the dancing flames a wide berth.

“Well, here we are,” Kaito said after his father disappeared from view. Instead of replying or even looking at him, Gakupo extended an arm and one of the flames approached him, until it was floating above his hand. It burnt white like a phosphorus flame, reducing Gakupo’s pupils into tiny diamonds. A moment passed, with nothing but the creaking of the flame to fill the silence.

Kaito run his hand through his hair, frustrated. “Gakupo, I know that you don’t want to talk to me right now. But please, please I need to know what you’re thinking. Talk to me.”

Gakupo kept his gaze fixed on the dark waters of the lake, lips pressed together as if wanting to fuse his mouth shut.

“If you…if you want me to go away after that, I’ll do it,” Kaito finally added, defeated.

“Kaito…” Gakupo’s face crumpled. “I don’t want that.” He said in a barely audible tone of voice. But it was enough to raise Kaito’s spirits. “Come with me to the overlook. Then…” The endling trailed off.

“Then we’ll talk,” Kaito concluded in an upbeat tone.

Gakupo nodded and opened his arms, in a familiar gesture. Kaito smiled and wrapped his arms around him; Gakupo leaped into the air, singing his spell song in with a shaky voice. The flame followed them upwards.

At first, Kaito thought Gakupo was taking them to one of the rooms high on the cavern walls. But they kept ascending and went through the hole in the ceiling. It was connected to a gorge covered in abundant vegetation. Gakupo kept rising, following the jagged lines of the sloped terrain, until they reached a peculiar outcropping: columns and a slanted ceiling had been carved out of the rock itself, creating a sort of balcony that jutted out from the side of the mountain. Icicles and snow decorated the overlook, clearly identifying it as Yuki’s abode.

She sat reading on a white divan, aided by the soft light of blue crystals strewn all around the balcony. No other furniture was visible, but then Kaito saw an opening on the rock behind them. In all likelihood, she had a set of rooms to herself, kept at a temperature that suited her nature.

As soon as she saw then, Yuki put down the book and rose to greet them. “Gakupo, Kaito, you’re back! Did you accomplish your mission?” Her eyes widened when she looked at Gakupo’s face more closely. “Oh my, what happened?”

“Titania is displeased with me,” Gakupo stated curtly.

“Oh…” Yuki blinked. “May I know the reason?”

“That little brat liked her golden cage, it seems. She didn’t want to be brought here,” Kaito interjected scornfully.

Yuki examined the expressions of the two young men before her with curiosity. But then she shook her head. “You’ll have to tell me more later. I need to tend to Gakupo’s face first. Follow me.” She went past the opening in the side of the mountain. A blueish light emitted from the inside, as abruptly as if she had turned on a switch. The white flame remained hovering over the divan while the pair followed her.

As Kaito had expected, the walls and everything inside was covered by a layer of frost. At one point in history, it seemed to have been a luxurious residence, perhaps the dwelling of the ruler of the dark fae that used to inhabit the hideout. Now a lot of the rooms were in disuse and dark. Only the path they were following had the blue light; walls and ceiling seemed to react to Yuki’s presence with that brilliance. It reminded him of the huge ice statues and palaces his countrymen liked to construct every winter.

The room that Yuki used as infirmary was full of disparate pieces of furniture, clearly taken from all over the hideout, and full of boxes, baskets and bundles of roots, herbs and less identifiable objects. Two beds with their matching nightstands waited near one corner, a desk covered in curious equipment on the other.

Without prompting, Gakupo sat on one of the beds, hands folded on his lap. Yuki nodded in approval and went to retrieve a couple of jars of mysterious paste from one of the shelves, and clean rags from another.

Humming a little tune, she first smeared Gakupo with the mixture of one of the jars. She left it there for a couple of minutes, while she asked about the Pale Line and the new Titania. Then, she wiped it off and used the second jar, this time only covering the red gashes with a thin film of paste.

“Leave that there until you go to bed and sing the hymn of Iled tomorrow just before sunrise. You’ll be as good as new before you know it.”

“Thank you, Yuki,” Gakupo answered, just a notch or two below his usual tone in terms of energy.

The snow woman frowned, hesitant. “…I don’t like to bring this up, but I need to know if you need treatment. You know what I mean?”

“Kaito got there before things got worse,” Gakupo muttered.

Kaito almost sank to his knees, so great was his relief hearing this.

“Prima and I argued a lot about the plan, because of its cost...I’m glad you’re safe now.” She turned to Kaito and added, “And I’m glad you’re here, Kaito. We needed someone as capable as you.”

Kaito blushed. “No, that’s- I had the means and the time to attempt a rescue, that’s all.”

“If it weren’t for you, we would’ve lost Gakupo and Titania. Don’t diminish your accomplishment.” Yuki smiled impishly as she went to return the jars to their place on the shelf. “We should act grateful to our hero, right?”  

Gakupo lowered his face, the strange reticence of before back in full force. From behind the long locks of hair, he studied Kaito for a moment before replying, “I should.”  

“Well, we’re done here. You can go,” Yuki dismissed them in a light tone, as she jotted down some notes on a parchment on the desk.

“Yes, Yuki. Thank you for healing.”

“No need to thank me. Go have fun, both of you.”

Gakupo nodded and grabbed Kaito’s hand. In silence, they retraced their steps through the corridors, now much dimmer without Yuki’s presence. The white flame was still waiting for them in the stone balcony. Soon enough, the three of them were back in the night air, tracing the dark silhouette of the mountain.  

Just as they reached the gorge, Kaito gathered his courage and said, “We’re going to have a talk, remember?” Maybe Gakupo would be more forthcoming if they discussed things outside in the open air, instead of the dusty, oppressive environment of the cavern.

Gakupo let an indistinct sound of acknowledgement. Adjusting his trajectory, he landed on a ledge that had all the signs of being a private space for the fae: dry herbs were piled on a corner protected from the elements by protruding rocks and crooked trees. Next to them, a small weathered chest surely guarded some cherished trinkets. Finally, a damaged painting leaned against the rocky wall; the castle depicted seemed to float insubstantially in the midst of a thick fog.

Gakupo sat on the edge of the rocky surface, balancing his legs in the night air. His figure was almost as silvery and weightless as the painted castle behind him, wrapped as he was in the ruined tunic from the Pale Line and illuminated by the twin sources of the moon and the magical flame.

Kaito carefully knelt beside him and removed his omnipresent muffler to wrap it around Gakupo’s neck. The fae looked at him with surprise.

“I should’ve let you go change clothes, your skin is cold,” Kaito said rubbing his neck, feeling a bit chilly himself. “I’m sorry I was so forceful about this…” He took one of Gakupo’s hands between his. “Look, I’m here for you. Whatever happened back there, I’ll do whatever it takes to help you overcome it.”

“Whatever happened?” Gakupo repeated, tilting his head.

“You know what I mean,” Kaito replied, although the fae was sporting a very blank expression. And yet, even if his worst fears hadn’t come to pass, wasn’t it obvious that those men had abused him in some fashion? Besides, being hunted and treated like an object was bad enough on itself.

Gakupo’s turquoise gaze examined their hands, then travelled downwards and to the left, thinking. “I…think I do.” His lips curved in an odd, unhappy smile. “Do I still have value for you?”

“Of course! Why would you ask that?!” Kaito cupped Gakupo’s face in his hands, trying to divine what was going on behind his cryptic expression.

“You're always so kind to me.” The words sounded oddly accusatory; Gakupo's expression darkened, reminding Kaito of their first encounter. “Why, you ask? Because when I'm beside you I’m nothing!” Gakupo spat.

Kaito’s hands dropped to his sides like two stones. He watched in stunned silence as Gakupo rose and began pacing from one end of the ledge to the other, hugging himself and muttering angrily in his language. His tail lashed the air so violently that Kaito could swear he could feel the touch of displaced air on his face.

Suddenly, Prima’s voice was projected from the white flame. She used the dialect of the wind fae, obviously to keep Kaito out of the conversation, not that it was hard to guess that she was scolding Gakupo, given his mortified expression.

“It’s ok, really-,” Kaito tried to interrupt.

“Titania’s court is in your debt, human. Your reward _will_ conduct himself in a proper fashion,” Prima answered arrogantly.

 _It's no big surprise Gakupo has low self-esteem, given how you treat him_ , Kaito thought, rolling his eyes.

Gakupo returned to his side meekly, looking completely drained. It made sense given the late hour and the events of the day. “Prima is right; I behave in a shameful way.”

“I'm the one that should be ashamed, pushing you like this.” Kaito stood and gingerly placed a hand on Gakupo's shoulder. “Let's go to bed, ok? I just want to feel you close to me.”

The fae nodded with noticeable relief in his features, enough for Kaito to leave aside his odd, bitter words. Although the insecure part of Kaito wanted to blame himself for the situation, another side wanted to feel like a champion from the old tales, celebrated and adored by the lovely prince he had rescued.  That foolish side was quick to excuse Gakupo's behavior, and assume it would pass given time.  

A conciliatory smile graced Gakupo's features, enough for Kaito to anticipate the hours to come. “My room or yours?”

“Yours.” Kaito blushed at the mere thought of his dad walking in while they were together in bed. It was one thing for Mr. Fuuga to accept that his son had a 'special friend', another completely different to see them kissing or more.

Gakupo and him descended into the great cavern and passed through one of the illuminated doorways halfway between the lake and the ceiling. Thankfully, the white flame went back to its slow dance above the waters.

Like the space Kaito had previously occupied next to the lake, this room was roundish, with carved walls. It was bare except for a bench, a chest and a wide bed, with barely any indication that anyone used it regularly.

“I prefer my parent's cave,” Gakupo explained. “Living with Prima is tiring.”

“I bet,” Kaito said with a snicker. He took off the fancy jacket and folded it, then sat on the bed to untie his shoes.

While Kaito undressed, Gakupo took off the ornate jewelry decorating his body, examining each piece with an ambivalent expression on his face, until the only accessory left was Kaito’s muffler around his neck.

“I shouldn't like these things.” The fae muttered as he piled everything on a shelf carved into the stone wall. “All that sound, very uncomfortable. And they belong to that man.”

“The way I see it, you should do whatever you want with them. Chuck them into the lake, melt them or wear them if you want. They are yours now.”

Gakupo acknowledged this with a small nod. In the end, he left everything but a ring on the shelf, a simple platinum band with a small sapphire. Then, he slipped out of the tunic, carelessly throwing it away across the room.  “That one I'm not keeping.”

Kaito laughed softly. The fae had looked very enticing in that outfit, although he didn’t want to say it, given its origin. The thin fabric had contrasted wonderfully with his dark wings. Together with the jewelry, it almost seemed like a god had descended from the skies in front of Kaito. A god just for him.

While he sat there over the covers enjoying the idea, Gakupo climbed the bed and laid face down by his side. The end of his tail tickled Kaito's thigh playfully, but before Kaito could bent down for a kiss, the endling let out a huge yawn.

"Yes, it looks like I need to let my reward sleep a few hours," Kaito grinned and laid down tapping his chest. He wasn't altogether pleased with the way Prima spoke of it, as if Gakupo was a gift to be given away, but he decided to treat it as a joke.

As intended, the fae climbed on top of him. He gave out a little hum of satisfaction as he caressed the skin of Kaito' chest, before planting a kiss over his heart. "I missed your shape, when I was back there."

"Me too."

"I'm very glad you came for me, despite...how I acted before." Gakupo laid his head down on Kaito's chest, hiding his expression behind a curtain of hair.

"You've been through a lot."

“No excuse.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Kaito replied lightly, twirling a strand of purple hair around his fingers. Although, to be honest, Gakupo’s words did worry him. What did he mean by ‘ _when_ _I'm beside you I’m nothing’?_ It didn’t make sense, no matter how he analyzed it.

“Say you love me,” the voice begged, heavy with tiredness.

“I love you. I love everything about you.”

“More…”

"I love you, I love you, I'll always love you." He kissed the top of head of Gakupo's head with reverence. He said it again and again, each time closer to a whisper, as he felt the endling sink into sleep. Finally, the breathing of the body above his became slow and deep. Kaito grinned happily; Gakupo was beginning to open up to him, and he clearly needed him. What more could he ask for?

***

Morning in Prima's hideout was hard to distinguish from any other part of the day, when you weren’t by the underground lake, looking upwards. From the bed, all Kaito could see was the darkness between the opening of Gakupo’s room and the wall all the way across the waters.

Nevertheless, there was something in the air that suggested the fresh atmosphere just before sunrise, contrasting with the warmth of the mattress and the purple-trimmed white cape draped above him.

 _Wait a moment_ … Finally, the absence of the fae pierced through Kaito’s grogginess and made him look around, searching fruitlessly for Gakupo. He rolled out of bed and approached the door; very cautiously, he leaned outwards to see if there was a way for him to get down to ground level without help. There was, if he could swallow his vertigo: a narrow ledge hugged the stone wall, slowly descending towards his left.

Then again, he probably needed to get dressed first.

The elegant suit he had used to attend to the auction was folded over the bench, next to his muffler. _The only clothes I have with me now_ , Kaito thought. Unfortunately, neither he nor his father could carry bags with them when they attended the auction; all he had now was the contents of his pockets.

“I really wish I could clean up first…” Nevertheless, he didn’t feel like waiting to see if Gakupo returned on his own. He wasn’t exactly sure why; Gakupo seemed much calmer before falling asleep, so he probably wouldn’t avoid him anymore. Even so, he wanted to keep the fae close.

Just as Kaito was zipping up his pants, the endling flew in, carrying a large basket in his hands and back in his modest off-white pants and cape. He appeared somewhat surprised to see Kaito up and about, but not displeased at the fact. “Good morning!” In one fluid motion, he dropped the basket on the ground and then grabbed Kaito in his arms. One leap later, they landed on the bed, with Gakupo on top.

Kaito let out something between a breathless yelp and a giggle. Before he could recover his breath, Gakupo bent down and began to kiss his neck and jaw repeatedly. Kaito’s own ‘good morning’ became lost in more laughter, as his heart overflowed with happiness. There was almost a manic quality to the way Gakupo was touching his body with his mouth and hands, like a strong wind pushing him off his feet and away from his consciousness.

“What’s gotten into you?” Kaito asked between gasps, as Gakupo began to pull down his pants. Not that he minded, but it was a complete departure from Gakupo’s attitude the night before.

“You want this.”  His hands continued to tug at Kaito’s clothing until he was completely naked. Gakupo’s wings caressed his sides, two heavy curtains separating them from the world.

“I do…” Like a snake crawling through tall grass, a nameless, atavistic urge stirred inside him at the thought of being defenseless and exposed on Gakupo’s hands.

“I must act grateful.” The frantic energy of before still shone in the fae’s eyes, although his movements became maddeningly languid as his head sank between Kaito’s legs. His dark feathers tickled Kaito’s thighs in capricious patterns, up and down and up again, as Kaito cried out.

Gakupo pulled back, scaling down his attentions to just a touch of his fingers. He observed Kaito’s squirming form with a look of dark satisfaction: the face of someone confirming a sour theory.

“Gakupo…?” The haze of pleasure muddled his thoughts, but Kaito finally noticed the strange expression on his lover’s face. “What is it?”

“I was wrong before. I’m not nothing.”

Kaito sat up, suddenly alert. The melancholic tone of Gakupo’s words was like cold water dousing his body. “What do you mean?”

Gakupo grimaced. “I shouldn’t have spoken. I have to keep you happy.”

“I told you last night, I want to know how you feel, no matter what.”

“I mean…” He paused, with the look of someone mentally preparing himself for a big jump. “I’m a reward, a toy.”

“No, no! That’s was-,” Kaito cupped Gakupo’s face in his hands, horrified. “I didn’t mean like that!”

“I know. _I_ mean it like that.” Gakupo inhaled a large gulp of air. “I do everything wrong, except this.” He moved his hand in a wide arc, encompassing the bed and both of them. “I can’t help, I can’t save. All I do is get rescued! I might as well be a shameful toy!”

Kaito just stared, completely at a loss on what to say.

Gakupo squeezed his eyes shut, spitting his next words, “You say Prima treats like dirt. But she’s right, Goya is right. But you…” He opened his eyes and added, “You’re the worst of all.”

“W-what?!”

“You love me and take care of me; I should be grateful and make you happy in return. And I _am_ grateful, I _do_ love you…but…but…I see you and I feel bad that I don’t have what you have, that I don’t do what you do. I don’t know how to explain it.”

“You’re jealous of me.” Kaito said quietly, wiping one eye. He could scarcely believe it, but there it was: his beautiful endling, jealous of an awkward idiot like him. Of course, it wasn’t exactly that he was jealous of _those_ charming qualities; most likely, he was unconsciously jealous of all the opportunities Kaito had been given since birth. Being rescued twice by someone he saw as superior was just exacerbating the feeling.  

“Don’t hate me. I’m trying not to act like this,” Gakupo begged pitifully.

“Of course I won’t hate you,” Kaito hugged him. _If I could give you every advantage I had, I would._

Gakupo shakily reciprocated the gesture, pressing Kaito almost too hard against him. His wings unfurled and cocooned them; Kaito once more had the impression that they were alone together in a completely different reality. It would’ve been very pleasant if Gakupo wasn’t so upset.

Seconds and then minutes went by, as they stayed in each other’s arms. Kaito racked his brains trying to find the proper words to say. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how ill-prepared he was to help Gakupo. And that lead to another idea, bitterly ironic: he wasn’t all that different from the fae, really. They saw in each other qualities and gifts they wanted, they both were used to self-deprecation and doubt. Kaito usually ran from the world while Gakupo wanted to prove himself worthy of it.

“Listen…” Kaito began softly. “We need to look at this in a different way. I’m not a hero, or even particularly brave. I’m not even all that strong physically. But that’s ok- there are other things I can do.”

“The same goes for you. Don’t tell me you can’t see you have good qualities. That’s not true and you know it. You aren’t perfect, but neither am I. That’s why I’m not letting go of you: we can be more together.”

Gakupo pulled away to look Kaito in the eye, almost cartoonishly surprised. Gradually, a smile illuminated his features. “Do you really believe that?”

“I do,” Kaito replied. Being persuasive wasn’t part of what he considered his good qualities, without question. But as with everything else, Gakupo managed to push him into achieving things he normally wasn’t able to do. “Even Hiroshi and Dad could tell how much I’ve changed lately, all because I wanted to be by your side.”

“I’m not sure I can stop thinking like this so easily.” Gakupo played with Kaito’s hair, not exactly looking him in the eye anymore. If anything, his gaze seemed to have turned inwards, examining his own preconceptions. “There’s so many things...”

“I’m not so arrogant as to think I can demolish your problems with a couple of words,” Kaito replied. “But I’m here for you. We need to be patient with each other, remember?”

“I remember,” Gakupo’s smile widened, and he pulled Kaito close again, to rest his head on his shoulder. However, not a minute passed before he lifted his head again.

“What’s wrong?”

“I forgot I brought breakfast.” His left wing moved out of the way to display the basket lying on the ground next to the bed.

“You didn’t bring anything breakable, did you? You dropped that in a hurry.”

Gakupo’s mouth dropped and he sheepishly nodded. “I just saw you and thought that I had to make it up to you for yesterday…” He eyed the basket skittishly. “I should look.”

By some miracle, the teapot and crude clay cups inside were intact, although the hot liquid inside the pot had spilled in part, dampening the cookies and fruit. Before Gakupo could begin apologizing, Kaito picked one of the cookies and ate it in one big bite, before it could crumble. “Not bad, I like dunking cookies in milk.”

The fae laughed gratefully.

“How about we eat all these on that ledge with the painting? I’d like to feel the morning air,” Kaito suggested. “Let me get cleaned and dressed while you bring the stuff there. And bring some blankets too, for later...”

Gakupo laughed again, longer and more mischievously than before. “You were enjoying yourself quite a bit, yes?”

Kaito rubbed his neck, red-faced. “...Yeah.”

“I want to keep going too.” Gakupo nodded, as impervious to embarrassment as always, at least when it came to intimate matters. He rose, tapping his chin. “There’s a mountain river nearby. Perhaps you prefer bathing there.”

“Sure. Let me get my things.”

***

By the time they were back on the ledge, the morning had already heated somewhat, promising a beautiful sunny day. Nevertheless, the crooked trees allowed for some cool shade as they sat over an ancient-looking tablecloth, part of Gakupo’s collection of human things. The food was neatly arranged between them.

“I’ve been wondering about something,” Kaito started. “Prima mentioned a door, what’s that about?”

“Titania in museum, she and her Oberon created a path to another land, for us to leave here. Oberon and his closest went to prepare the new home while Titania fought.”

“Oberon? I thought he had died long before Titania.”

Gakupo shook his head. “Went away. Perhaps now he is dead. We haven’t heard in years about him.”

“So…” An unwelcomed thought crossed Kaito’s mind. “If you married IA, you’d be the next Oberon?”

“Eh?!” Gakupo seemed completely flabbergasted at the idea.

“Don’t look so surprised. Yuki at least seems to believe you’ll be the next king. And I bet Goya would prefer her to me.”

“But…”

“I’m not saying I want you to marry her, of course.” Kaito waved around his hand, causing the cookie in his fingers to completely disintegrate into milky clumps. “Oh. Well, I’m just asking to learn how this works. For all I know, maybe IA is now married to the old Oberon.”

“No, he belongs to old Titania, if alive.”

“I see. Another question,” And much more important in his mind, since it seemed unlikely that IA would consent to such a marriage in the first place. “If Titania opens the path, all of you will leave Earth?”

“Yes.” Gakupo hesitated for a bit. “I could stay with you, if you want.”

“What about Goya and the others? Won’t they have a problem with that?” Not to mention, would Gakupo be okay with severing ties with all of them? Besides, did he have a right to keep Gakupo from going in the first place? It was a chance to finally live without the threat of persecution. And there was another option… “Never mind, we don’t need to worry about that just yet. Who knows if IA can even open the door in the first place.”

“True.” Gakupo obviously appreciated the chance to steer away from the topic. “It’s a strange choice to wield the power. She’s nothing like old Titania.”

“You can say that again,” Kaito chuckled. He could hardly imagine the beautiful teal-haired girl in the museum engaging in tantrums or insulting anyone.

“But it’s not her fault. She was...how do you say? She grew inside the Pale Line.” Gakupo shuddered in sympathy.

“She was brought up in there? Ugh.” It did make him a bit regretful about being so rough with her. Not that he would condone anyone hurting Gakupo in any way.

“Awful place.” Gakupo toyed with the cookie pieces littering the tablecloth.

“Let’s not speak of them again, they aren’t worth our time.”

Gakupo nodded. He rose his eyes and examined Kaito with a twinkle in his eyes. “Are you done with breakfast?”

“Hm? Oh, oh yeah.” Kaito’s heart began pounding with anticipation.

Gakupo crawled to his side and began to unbutton Kaito’s shirt. _Not even one ‘here I come’_ , thought Kaito jokingly. It didn’t matter. His own hands began to fumble with his belt, eager to give himself to the fae.

The shirt slid off his shoulders, his pants were tossed away and almost went off the edge. Gakupo picked him up and carried him to the pile of dry herbs, now covered with a couple of blankets. Kaito lied down in his back, docile.

But instead of leaning over him as Kaito expected, Gakupo returned to the tablecloth and picked up the jug. His embarrassment flared up as he realized what Gakupo was going to do. “Uh...that’s…”

“I’m dunking Kaito in milk,” Gakupo stated nonchalantly. He tipped the jug over Kaito, letting the liquid splash all over his chest and groin. He placed the jug aside as if he had done nothing out of the ordinary and bent down to lick Kaito’s skin.

Kaito sputtered incoherently, squirming under Gakupo’s touch. A firm hand landed in the middle of his chest and kept him pinned in place, unable to do anything but moan. Gakupo’s mouth teased his chest without a single trace of hesitation, while his other hand caressed him below.

“It... It feels good,” Kaito let out between gasps. Despite how embarrassing it was to hear the lust in his own voice, he felt incredibly anxious for more.

Gakupo grunted and went lower, making Kaito arch his back with complete abandon.  Not only was his mouth pleasuring him, his fingers were expertly pushing him into madness. To top it off, his soft hair and feathers travelled over his skin following Gakupo’s movements. All he could do was to surrender to the many sensations claiming his attention, screaming the fae’s name. All too soon, reality crumbled into bits, jagged little fragments that tore at him as he reached his limit. He shut his eyes and sank deep into the torrent of heat and wanting.

As his breathing gradually calmed down, he felt Gakupo laid down in his usual position, resting his head on Kaito’s chest. “What…what about you?”

“In a while,” Gakupo replied. “We have all day.”

Kaito’s heart skipped a bit. That was true, wasn’t it? He had Gakupo for himself for the rest of the day.

 _And not just today, he’s going to be there every day to come._  


	11. Chapter 11

A few clouds peacefully crossed the sky, blindingly white and huge. Reddish tones were beginning to color the mountainous landscape, making the contrast between the slopes and the deep blue sky even more striking. The air was mostly calm, but once in a while a gust of wind played with hair and feathers, creating a wordless tune out of the two figures on the stony ledge.

Kaito was sitting between Gakupo’s legs, leaning back so as to rest against his body. He had his eyes closed, content to bask in the information his other senses were relying to him: the warm, firm body cradling him, the rhythmical sound of the scaly tail marking the beat as Gakupo hummed, the touch of the sun on his naked skin. One slender arm was circling his waist; the other was curved upwards, to rest the palm of Gakupo’s hand over this chest. At the other side of that fragile barrier, Kaito’s heart throbbed rapidly, calling out to his true owner.

Back in the city, his classmates were probably eating inside one of the cafeterias on campus, or sitting outside enjoying the weather. Kaito could almost see Akane and Hiroshi under an evergreen next to the computer sciences building, with the girl as always trying to get her boyfriend to eat at least somewhat healthily. He smiled at the mental image and then inclined his head to one side to kiss Gakupo’s skin. Despite all his protestations to the contrary, he was very thankful that his friends had insisted on setting him up with someone. It all had led to this day of perfect happiness in his endling’s arms.

Gakupo stopped humming for a moment to let out one of his little hoarse laughs before planting a kiss on Kaito’s shoulder. “Again?” He whispered invitingly.

“I, erm, I feel pretty tempted,” Kaito muttered. As ridiculous as it felt to be embarrassed at that point, he felt his cheeks burning, especially when Gakupo’s hands started to wander across his body. “But… They must be wondering where we are. It _is_ past noon by now, I wager.”

“Hmmm,” Gakupo turned him around partially, just enough to kiss his mouth.

The breeze returned with renewed playfulness; in response, the dark wings painted fluttering shadows on their shoulders. Waves of purple hair engulfed Kaito as he circled Gakupo’s neck with his arms. The wind grew in intensity, just as their kiss deepened. Something akin to vertigo raised its head inside Kaito; but it was a strange, reversed sensation: he felt the inevitability of falling, but also the draw, the burning desire to let go and forget about everything but the vertiginous descent. Like in the dream he had when he first met Gakupo, Kaito tumbled forward, joyously.

When the wind finally quieted down, Gakupo pulled away smiling softly. He placed a hand on Kaito’s stomach and simply stated, “You’re hungry.”

“…Yeah.”

“Let’s go inside, then.”

“Uhm, I think I’ll need another visit to the river first. After, you know-“

“I know.” Gakupo rose and began to gather their clothes, after which he placed them inside a well-patched bag. He turned to Kaito with the bag hanging from his shoulder and opened his arms.

“There's something funny about the fact that I throw myself at you the moment you do that,” Kaito muttered as he embraced Gakupo.

“Huh?”

“Never mind, let's go.”

Gakupo tilted his head, but a second later he just shrugged and rose to the skies, carrying Kaito along.

The river was a short distance away; it was one of several branches that ran and jumped across the uneven terrain, before forming a last waterfall and sinking into the mountain to join the underwater lake. Gakupo landed next to the small pond it created, cold and transparent.

Kaito let go of the fae and sat on a stone, observing the pond. About half of it glinted reflecting the sun, but the waterfall itself was shaded by the mountain. He dipped one foot in and shuddered. “Brrr, can you use that fire spell of yours to heat this a bit?”

“Eh?” By then, Gakupo was already in the middle of the pond, batting his wings and splashing around. He paused, considering the idea with a slight frown. “Why, it’s good!” As if to demonstrate, he cupped his hands together and scooped up water to splash his face and chest. The water trickled down his skin in eccentric, undulating trails, rather fetchingly.

Rather _less_ fetchingly, Gakupo pushed a wave of cold water with his arms and wings, which splashed Kaito from head to toe.

“…Gah!” Kaito sputtered incoherently, which made Gakupo break into laughter. That carefree expression was enough to prevent Kaito from feeling any true indignation. All the same, he leaped into action, feeling almost light-headed with giddiness. “Come here, you!”

They playfully wrestled for a few minutes, laughing all the while, until Gakupo, by now completely soaked, pulled Kaito into a tight hug. “I’m so, so happy I met you, Kaito.”

“Me too,” Kaito answered quietly, pressing their foreheads together. There was little he could say to adequately explain how much Gakupo had changed his life, but he decided to try. “Being with you makes me so happy I don't know how to handle it.” He paused for a moment to sigh. “It hurt so bad before, being apart from everyone else. Even when I was surrounded by people.” He stopped again for a moment, just content to stare into Gakupo’s eyes, before he continued. “I know it was my fault, at least in part, but it still hurt.”

“Why your fault?”

“I never tried as hard as I should to connect with others. It was easier to let the days take me along, without taking any risks. To be honest, it was my Dad that suggested I should come here to study, and give my life a new direction.” A sudden burst of emotion made Kaito hesitate, as his voice begun to waver. Wasn’t it stupid, to feel so sad when he was in such a beautiful place, in the arms of such a beautiful person? Why couldn’t he let go of his insecurities?

Wordlessly, Gakupo guided him to the edge of the pond, where they sat with their feet still submersed in the water. The sun sparkled on the drops of water on Kaito’s thighs, and he kept his eyes stubbornly fixed on that glow, even after Gakupo slung his arm around his shoulders.

“I’m stupid. I have so many bad habits. I keep making the same mistakes,” Kaito counted off with his fingers. “If it wasn’t for Dad and Hiroshi, I would be a complete mess,” he lamented, even though he hated showing that pathetic side of his to Gakupo.

“I think you show yourself short, you are a wise knight,” Gakupo replied, probably trying to say he was being too modest. It wasn't true, but Kaito felt happier anyway. The fae continued in a soft tone, “You just mention them, all this time. Was there someone else, besides them? Someone special?”

At this, Kaito finally looked up. But Gakupo’s expression was simply curious, without being bothered by the possibility of other lovers in Kaito’s past. _He’s too innocent for that_ , Kaito thought gratefully, before replying with a smile, “No one like you, if that’s what you‘re asking.”

Gakupo made a small sound of acknowledgment, before his gaze strayed towards the waterfall. His chewed on his lower lip and Kaito realized he was debating whether to tell him something or not. He waited, but for a few moments the pounding of the scaly tail against the ground was the only sound to reach his ears. Just when Kaito was about to say something, the fae reached a decision.

“I used to travel with Goya, yes? At least at first. But we had fights… He really hates humans, but I don't want to. I don't want to hate anyone.” Gakupo stirred the waters of the pond with his legs, pensive. “One day, I stopped him from attacking a group of men. I just didn’t want to see him do bad. But it didn’t go well.”

“He didn't hurt you, did he?” Kaito asked cautiously.

“Didn't mean to. Wolves don't hurt their cubs,” Gakupo smiled wryly. “I couldn't fly for a while, so it was decided I should stay in the valley down from cave all year, not go along anymore.”

“Sounds like it was for the best,” Kaito said, swallowing his outrage. How could Goya have the gall to sneer at him, after such an act? Who cares what his intent was, if he injured Gakupo as a result?

“A few months after, I was searching for food when I ran into an fallen man, a…” Gakupo paused, searching for the word inside his head. “I forget what he said…A harker? I helped.”

“A hiker?” Kaito burrowed his brow. So he wasn’t the first man Gakupo had brought home with him. It did bother him, just a minuscule, unimportant, tiny little bit. _And that's why I deserve those ugly blue horns, I suppose,_ Kaito said to himself. Of course he couldn’t be the only one Gakupo ever interacted with, but he wasn’t going to pass on the opportunity to be silly.

Gakupo didn’t seem to notice his discomfort, lost as he was in the past. “Hiker, yes. I took him to cave, helped him get better.” Another pause. “Jasper. He taught me some words of English, but we mostly spoke in queen’s tongue."

“He was fluent in the language of the Warm Isles?” Kaito raised his eyebrows. A regular person had no reason to have that kind of knowledge, which meant this Jasper was a scientist, a hunter or a government agent. He waited with mounting tension for Gakupo to continue.

“At first, it felt wonderful to meet someone new, someone nice. I missed…touch. My parents hugged me, kissed my cheeks. But that’s not Goya’s nature.” The endling patted his head and adopted an even hoarser tone than usual. “Good boy, Gakupo! Good boy!”

“So Jasper taught you those words,” Kaito surmised.

The fae nodded. “It was like looking at the sun, dazed, so warm. I felt so happy to have a friend.” He shook his head. “But as he got closer to healthy, he began to act strange.”

“Strange, how?”

“He kept saying how much he loved me, how happy I would be if I came with him. Once he healed up fully, he said he wanted to be my father, that he searched for a long time to find me. He didn't look at me with father eyes.” Once again, he shook his head.

Kaito grimaced. “What happened then?” He had other questions, like how Jasper had found out about Gakupo’s existence, but they were of comparatively less importance.

“I said no, has Goya. He said he understood and that he wanted to cook at least meal for us to eat together before he went away.”

“That sounds suspicious.” Kaito said mutedly, as nervousness gripped his throat. He couldn’t help but feel the instinctive need to protect Gakupo, even though he was right there by his side.

“Yes. But I didn't know what else to do. I didn't want to hurt him…”

“You could've gone to Yuki and Prima and hid there!” Kaito exclaimed, trying hard not to sound as if he was scolding Gakupo.

“I thought I could make him understand.” Gakupo looked away with a sad expression on his face. “ So I stood by as he cooked and explained I was happy where I was.”

“And?”

“Jasper agreed to everything I said. But…” Gakupo played with a strand of his hair for a moment. “I ate and fell asleep.”

“He drugged you.” In a sense, it was impressive that he had still managed to put something in Gakupo’s food, despite the fae’s vigilance. Horrible, but impressive.

“Yes. I don’t remember much after that. I know he took me and tried to return to the city, no more. For me, it was like a long dream, until I woke in Goya’s arms. Jasper was dead.”

 _Good_ , Kaito thought. Then, another idea surfaced on his mind. “Goya must’ve thought it was happening again, when he saw us together.”

“Maybe,” Gakupo sighed. “It was wrong to bring Jasper home.”

“You were just being kind,” Kaito consoled him, caressing his cheek.

“Ignorant pup, don't trust humans.” Gakupo let out a little growl that was probably meant to imitate Goya’s guttural tones. He closed his eyes for a second, drawing in air. When he opened them again, there was an amused spark deep inside them. “I’m glad I never learn. I trust you, Kaito.”

What else was there to do but pull Gakupo closer and kiss him again? His eyes looked so luminous, as if the gold reflection of the pond has escaped into those depths. His smile was so soft and sincere, beckoning him. So Kaito leaned forward, reverently… And his stomach growled.

“I have to feed my knight,” Gakupo laughed and stood up to gather his clothes.

“Right…” Kaito said embarrassed, running one hand through his hair. It was somewhat damp still, but it would have to do. He accepted the bundle of wrinkled clothing Gakupo was offering him. “I have the feeling this has happened before, somehow.” The blue-haired youth muttered, mostly to himself, and began dressing up.

“What do you mean?”

“No, I guess it’s my imagination.” Kaito buttoned up the shirt, wishing he had something other that the rapidly deteriorating tuxedo. Despite the simplicity of his garments, Gakupo looked much more orderly in his white woven cape and pants. “I’m ready.”

After a short flight, they reached the gash in the earth that lead to the fae hideout. Kaito was momentarily blinded by the change in lightning as they plunged inside, but soon his eyes adjusted to the dimness and the dancing flames. When he was able to see clearly, he noticed none other than his father and Yuki standing by the edge of the waters, looking up at them.

“Where have you been?” His father asked after a quick greeting.

“We were…er, relaxing…” Kaito said at the same time Gakupo replied with a “I was making Kaito happy.”

Mr. Fuuga blinked, but opted to drop the matter entirely. “From what this young lady says, the future queen demands your presence, Gakupo.”

“Me?” It was Gakupo’s turn to look surprised. Unconsciously, he touched the spot of his face where IA clawed him, now fully restored thanks to Yuki’s healing skills.

“I’ll go with you,” Kaito quickly interjected.

“She didn't mention you,” Yuki said softly.

“I’m his knight, aren't I?” Kaito crossed his arms and tried to look confident. “I should go wherever he goes.” He did feel a bit of pity for IA and her situation, but that didn't mean he trusted her yet.

Gakupo visibly relaxed, then laughed a bit sheepishly. “I wouldn’t mind some company.”

“Alright, perhaps it is better you go as well. You and your father were instrumental in saving her, after all. Fuuga-san, please come with us.”

“Certainly.” Mr. Fuuga smiled and patted her head. His expression only slightly faltered when he realized how cold her head was; Kaito noted with amusement that his father immediately began to rub his hands together vigorously as they walked following the snow-woman.

It was a strange procession, for certain. The little girl and the blue flame leading the way through the dark tunnels, then his father in his rumpled tuxedo, then he and his endling walking hand in hand. At one point, for seemingly no reason other than because he could, Gakupo gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Finally, the tunnel they were in opened into a big round space, outfitted with several stone tables, benches and a raised dais with two thrones and several less impressive chairs. Several openings in the stone walls suggested long unlit tunnels in all directions. In the past, this cavern had been something of a neuralgic center for the dark fae community.

One of the tables was covered with dishes and drinks, more abundant and diverse then Kaito had expected seeing in the hideout. _So they were planning on eating this without us? So much for being grateful to the humans,_ Kaito thought. Then again, Goya wasn’t around, but that could be due to his size. Whatever the case, the mouse girl (now wearing a loose black and pink dress, thankfully) was seated at one end of the table, to the right of a woman with dark hair and a puffy wine-colored gown.

Right on cue, the woman turned to look directly at him for a moment. There was something in her eyes, a deeply unsettling presence than made Kaito lower his face and stare at the ground, suddenly breathing hard.

“It's been a while since I saw her in human form,” Gakupo casually commented by his side. He rubbed Kaito's back comfortingly. “Strong eyes.”

Kaito's father had been studying the carvings on the stone walls, but he turned towards Kaito with worry. “Are you ok, son?”

“It’s nothing, just… Remember not to look her in the eye, dad.”

Realization dawned in Mr. Fuuga’s face. “Oh, that’s the lady dragon.” He quickly averted his eyes from the table.

By now, both Prima and IA were looking at them. Once Kaito recovered somewhat, he focused on IA, partly to gauge her intentions. The girl returned his gaze with an confident, cold smile; far from assuaging him, Kaito felt a chill going down his spine. He had seen that look many times in the faces of people that had more power than him, and it was always a portent of miserable experiences.

IA rose from the bench and approached them. She curtsied and greeted them, in what at first glance seemed like a sincerely amicable tone. “Good day to you, Gakupo, Kaito, Mr.Fuuga. Prima told me what is expected of me. I’m really sorry about the way I acted before.”

“Miss, you were in trouble. My son and I are grateful for the chance to help you. Right, Kaito?” Mr. Fuuga smiled.

“Right,” Kaito echoed, trying to sound cheerful. He stole a peek at Gakupo, but his expression was carefully neutral.

IA took a step forward and grabbed Gakupo’s free hand. “Gakupo, I need to apologize to you most of all. We are going to get along much better from now on, I'm sure.”

Gakupo nodded, still showing little emotion on his face. “That is also my wish, IA. And I should apologize for not explaining myself better, back in the Pale Line.”

“That's fine.” IA smiled icily again. “Can we speak in private before we sit down to eat? It will only take a minute.” For the briefest of instants, her eyes seemed to glow faintly.

Gakupo’s expression changed somewhat at this, giving Kaito the uncanny impression that the two magical beings next to him were somehow communicating in a way beyond his understanding. It was a very distressing thought.

“Wait here,” the endling abruptly said glancing at Kaito. Before Kaito could begin to recover from his surprise, the fae let go of his hand. IA immediately began pulling Gakupo towards the door next to the dais.

“But-“ Kaito stammered.

“I think you should let your friend handle this,” Mr. Fuuga whispered, placing a hand on his son’s shoulder.

“Since you're here, you might as well sit down, humans,” Prima stated in a bored tone. “I thought IA might prefer a smaller gathering, but she seems to be adjusting quickly.”

“Yes, do sit,” Yuki echoed her, as she sat down by the dragon’s side.

“Thank you, lady dragon, Yuki.” His father politely replied and sat on the bench, leaving enough space for Kaito.

His son remained rooted to the spot, staring as the two fae crossed the threshold and disappeared into the darkness of the next chamber. What did IA want? She wasn't going to hurt Gakupo, was she?

“Hmm, son?”

Kaito startled. “Sorry!” Two of the people seating at the table smiled benevolently as he hurried to take a seat.

The third one narrowed her unsettling eyes as she observed him. “If you truly wish to protect him, I’ve been devising ways to bolster your non-human heritage. The change would be permanent, so consider it carefully.”

“I’ll do anything to help him!” Kaito immediately replied, but Prima only frowned.

“Is that your definition of ‘carefully’?”

“The lady dragon is right, son. You can't just jump into something like that without thinking.” This father shook his head worriedly.

“Your devotion is very convenient for us, make no mistake,” Prima commented before sipping from a ancient-looking cup. “Tempered with some prudence, and you’ll make for a good servant of the court.”

“Kaito, I really think you and I should discuss this more in depth,” Mr. Fuuga said with the slightest hint of tension in his voice.

“I keep forgetting that you are just a fledging,” Prima said with a hint of a smile. “I shall give you the details after lunch, and you and your father can decide what to do. Although, I’m sure you don’t want to disappoint Gakupo…” Her smile grew, taking a vaguely predatory quality.

“I think Gakupo must be deeply grateful of your efforts so far,” Yuki interjected in a soothing tone. “For that reason, I’m sure he’d like you to consider this matter thoroughly. For now, have a drink while our dear children return.”

Kaito nodded, though he still gave the door a last anxious look before facing the table. The following fifteen or so minutes passed tortuously, at least for him. His father was too awed by Prima to talk directly at her without prompting, but he and Yuki were having a nice talk about Japan and the places she remembered from her early years. Kaito was too distracted to follow the flow of the conversation, but he did gleam from his father’s gasps and excited tone than Yuki was telling him something of interest. However, just when he decided to pay proper attention to what they were saying, he heard the faint rustle of feathers behind him. IA and Gakupo were back; the mouse girl strutting confidently, the endling keeping up the pace with her thanks to his longer stride, but much more dejectedly.

Bad news, just like he expected. Kaito was sure of it, looking at Gakupo’s figure: every part of him screamed it, even the long tail dragging morosely along the ground. The fae met his gaze with a somber expression, and before Kaito realized what he was doing, he jumped from the bench to go to him.

“Are you alright?” He asked, disregarding the mutterings behind him and IA’s offended look off to the right. At that moment, the world was a tunnel, with him and Gakupo on opposite ends. The fae chewed on his bottom lip without answering.

“As I was going to say,” IA piped up irritably, “Gakupo and I have reached an understanding.” Belatedly, Kaito realized that he had interrupted IA just as she was going to make a speech. Well, whatever it was, he didn't care. Not until he knew for certain that Gakupo was ok. He tried to move forward, but before he could a step, he felt his father place a hand on his shoulder.

“The situation is quite serious for us right now. I’m not sure I can be what you need of me in a time like this.” For a moment, IA looked less like a petulant child and more like a weary soldier. In a girl of her apparent age, it was a bit disturbing. But Kaito’s compassion dissolved like snow under the sun with the next words. “But I don't have to do it alone. Gakupo will be my Oberon, and I will be the best Titania I can be.”

For a second, Kaito's and IA’s eyes met, and he saw a spark of anger, mollified by the knowledge of the blow she had just landed on him. Underneath all the words, she was still the raging child, happy to take a swipe at him for hitting her earlier.

“…She forced you into saying yes, didn’t she?” Again, Kaito ignored the angry reactions around him, and focused only on Gakupo. He saw his face grow pale, but then was shocked when the endling shook his head.

“It's not that simple. I can explain later.”

“Later?!”

“Son, don't make a scene.” Mr. Fuuga’s voice was full of kindness, as usual, but Kaito felt a tiny bit of relief emanating from it: his father was glad Gakupo was marrying someone else. It made Kaito's frustration explode, and his instinct to escape took over. Shaking off his father’s hand, he turned away from the table and everyone else, and began to walk towards the path they used to reach the cavern.

“Kaito?”

“I’ll be disturbing everyone’s meal if I stay here. Please lend me one of your fires, Prima.”

Behind him, someone clicked their tongues. Someone else sighed. Prima replied, her voice crisp and unhurried. “I’ll send one of the dwellers with food. Use your time alone to reflect on things, knight.”

“I will,” Kaito muttered to himself. How could the day turn around so quickly? How could Gakupo take a decision like this without even discussing it with him first? His eyes began to itch. He ground his teeth and walked faster. A blue flame appeared by his side, bobbing slightly as it adapted to his increasingly hurried pace.

The walls closed in on him as he ran down the tunnels. They became more and more indistinguishable from one another, until he realized he was lost. He kept going, stubbornly. The weight of the mountain above seemed heavier with every second, as he rushed past doors and pathways full of inky nothingness. Nameless things crawled away from his steps and cobwebs stuck to his clothes and hair.

The atmosphere in those depths was intensely stale; Kaito felt his airways clog with miniscule grains of dust, with anguish and anger at himself. His side throbbed and his lungs rebelled, unaccustomed to such exercise. Stopping abruptly, he leaned against the stone wall, rubbing his eyes and breathing heavily. The blue flame hovered near his face, giving little heat.

“I don't know where to go,” he finally admitted with a cracked voice.

“I expected as much, but I thought all that running would be a fine chance to spend some of your excess energy.” The blue flame didn’t have a face, but Kaito could sense Prima’s smirk all the same.

“Can the others at the table hear you talk to me right now?” Purposefully, Kaito tried to push other thoughts away with that question.

“No, unless I wanted to.”

“How do you do that, anyway? Project your consciousness far from your body?”

“Bodies. The form you know is down below guarding my eggs.”

“I don’t even understand how that can be possible.” Kaito tried to clean his hair, not very successfully. His head was beginning to hurt due to how hard he was clenching his jaw.

“You can’t understand it. Just like I can’t possibly understand what it feels to be you. None of us can understand you, despite how human-like Yuki or the fae look.”

“I don't care how different we are, I want him. And he wants me, he loves me!” His fist balled and he pounded uselessly against the wall.

“Did he say so? Then he does, you should take solace in that. Fae are fragile and somewhat capricious, but they can't lie.”

“Then why-?!” He choked up.

“Have you considered the possibility that he feels responsible for that child? He brought her here, after all.”

“You ordered him to bring her!” A side of Kaito wanted nothing more to say that IA could go rot for all he cared. Neither she nor the others had the right to take Gakupo away from him.

“Everyone has been waiting for her, including Gakupo. What is there for him in this land? A cage, a life of hiding?”

“I’ll take care of him, no matter what!”

“So a cage then.” Prima ignored Kaito’s grunt of shock and indignation. “What, don’t you see what that means? He’ll have to spend the rest of his life depending on you. It sounds enticing to you, perchance?”

 _Never argue with a dragon, they say_. Kaito rubbed his face, trying to clear his head. Prima was trying to manipulate him, nothing more. She had been using Gakupo for her own ends for who knows how long, and now she wanted to do the same with him, taking advantage of his love. It wouldn't work, he’d make sure to see Gakupo safe and by his side no matter what she was planning.

“Show me the way to the lake,” he finally said.

“Oh?”

“I’ll hear what he has to say, when he comes to me. Now show me the way back, please.”

The voice snickered, matching the bobbing movement of the flame. “Certainly.” It then sailed the air at a leisurely pace, heading for his right.

Many turns later, they emerged into the enormous cavern housing the lake. The flame went back to join the many others dancing near the half-submerged quartz columns, without as much as a goodbye. Kaito waited for a moment, his eyes searching the walls until he found what he thought was the doorway to Gakupo’s bedroom. The crystal inside gave a soft glow, insufficient to detect movement. In any case, he was likely still eating with the others. Hoping that the situation wouldn’t grow worse while he wasn’t there, Kaito bit his lip and marched towards the room he had been allotted.

As promised by Prima, a tray with steaming food was waiting for him over the bench. But much more importantly, Gakupo was waiting for him, standing in the middle of the room like a statue. Kaito gaped, completely unprepared for his presence, but as soon as their eyes met, the endling’s stoic mask cracked, and even the feathers at both sides of his head seemed to droop a bit. Feeling both alarmed and somewhat vindicated, Kaito rushed forward to take him in his arms. Gakupo rested his head on his shoulder, letting out shaken words of apology.

“It’s okay, I won’t let them do this to you!” Kaito held him tighter, burying his face in the mane of purple hair. “They can’t force you to marry that girl, I’ll take you away if I have to!”

Abruptly, Gakupo fell silent, aside from a little sniffling. Drawing back, he looked at Kaito with with consternation. He attempted to disentangle himself from his embrace, but the youth refused to let go.

“I know you think you must obey Prima and the others,” Kaito began, smiling reassuringly. But he didn’t get to finish the sentence: Gakupo fought him harder, shaking his head, until he was forced to release him. That hurt, despite knowing that the fae was only doing what he thought was his duty. But why couldn’t Gakupo realize he was far too precious to allow himself to be used like this? Why couldn’t he let Kaito take care of him?

Gakupo rubbed his eyes with manic energy. “You don’t understand!”

“No, I understand perfectly. IA blamed you for bringing her to this hole, right?” Kaito allowed himself to smile bitterly at this. “Perhaps Prima or Yuki told you it was your duty as the last wind fae?”

“They don’t need to say it, I know it already.” Gakupo crinkled his frown, looking at Kaito with surprised disapproval.

That reaction sparked even more indignation inside of Kaito. “Well, it's wrong!” He ran his hands through his hair once more, dislodging some dust from the tunnels. “Look, I don't blame you. You're too innocent to know better.”

“Pup knows nothing,” Gakupo said in a dry tone. “Both you and Goya think I’m a fool.”

“I’m not saying you’re foolish, it’s not your fault!” Kaito looked at the ground, trying to organize his thoughts. “I’m saying you’ve never been in contact with other ways of thinking, that’s all. Look, you should’ve stalled and discussed things with me before saying yes.”

The fae looked down and to a side, reflexively rubbing the ruined skin of his arm; his long hair hid his face like a heavy curtain. Much too late, Kaito realized that stating so plainly that Gakupo was inexperienced wasn’t going to win him any points. He swallowed nervously when he saw Gakupo’s tail furiously lashing about, wondering if he was going to see the same furious face of that distant first day in the museum. 

But ultimately, the fae flipped his hair out the way and observed him with dark, pained eyes. “I wanted to tell you… Not in front of everyone,” Gakupo stated slowly. “I asked IA to wait, she didn’t listen.”

“That snotty little sh-“

“She’s been wronged, Kaito.” Gakupo’s frown deepened. “Shes been wronged, and she has no one else here. She’s alone, like I was.”

Kaito felt fear rising like a ghoulish hand seizing his throat at these simple words; the jealous fool inside of him immediately panicking at the idea of Gakupo and IA growing close. His brain tried to fight it, judiciously pointing out that barely a couple of hours prior he was sure Gakupo was going to be his forever.

Gakupo continued, choosing to ignore (or not fully understanding) the look on Kaito’s face. “IA wanted two things: first of all, she wants the girls from the Pale Line to come with us. Prima agreed to that right away. Now that she knows where it is, she wants to destroy it for good. As for me…” His even tone wavered a bit, but he pressed on, “I have to be at her side until we are fully settled on the other side. After that, I can do whatever I want.”

“So you expected me to wait.” There was no other explanation for the look of timid hope in the fae’s eyes.

Gakupo nodded, somewhat cowed by Kaito’s cold tone.

“Do you even know what fully settled means? No, you don’t.” Kaito was skirting dangerously close to calling Gakupo ignorant again, but he was too furious to control himself. “I won’t live hundreds of years like Yuki or Prima. And even if I could wait, why should I? Why is everyone else more entitled to a happy ending than us?”

“Kaito…”

“You don’t think I’m justified in being angry by this?”

This time, Gakupo didn’t reply in any way; he just stared at Kaito with big, reddened eyes.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t accept something like this. It’s not like I’m trying to pit you against Goya, Prima or Yuki, but I can’t.” Kaito closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Well, in the case of Prima, just a bit. What I mean is…” At that moment, he heard the sound of air being pushed by two massive wings. Surprised, he opened his eyes and found himself alone in the bedroom. He rushed towards the door, and saw Gakupo flying swiftly upwards towards the outside.

“Wait!” Kaito shouted as loud as he could, but Gakupo kept ascending without looking back. A moment later, he was gone. The human below crouched, so anxious that for a moment he felt dizzy.

A moment later, a girlish giggle reached his ears from across the waters. _She_ was right there somewhere in the shadows, watching him. _Laughing at him_.

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, it's back. Actually, I hadn't even noticed so much time had passed since the last chapter. O juggle too many things at once I guess. In any case, here we go, more kaitosuffering. (don't kill me, Kaito fans)

Gakupo flew low above the mountainous terrain, without a particular destination in mind. The trees and bushes below were nothing but a blurry mismatch of shapes, rendered meaningless by the tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

Kaito wouldn't wait for him. He wouldn't, and Gakupo should've known he wouldn't. He had no right to ask that of Kaito in the first place, after all he had done for his sake. Kaito had protected him time after time and even dragged his own father into trouble, just for him, and yet here he was, ready to put his love aside for who knows how long.

But the endling couldn't see any other way out. How could he cast aside everyone he had ever known in his life, when he finally had the opportunity to be truly useful to them? His father and Prima needed space and food sources: both in scarce supply in a human-controlled world. The wildlands were always shrinking, and even the areas far from human settlements weren't completely safe, thanks to the many invisible eyes suspended in the skies, observing. Gakupo didn’t know how the sky-watchers worked, but they were clearly a menace for big creatures like his father and the dragon. If the door to the new Arcadia needed IA’s and his magical essence to function, Gakupo owed them to do anything in his power to open it.

IA was yet another issue troubling him. Despite what Kaito had said, Gakupo was guilty of bringing the girl here, with everything that entailed. And even if he returned her to the Pale Line, she would never be the same again: the blindfold had been lifted and she could see the bars of her golden cage. He did that to her.

Despite her inscrutable demeanor, Gakupo could see rage, sadness, fear and so many other emotions battling inside of her, and it reminded him painfully of his own struggles. That was something his lovely human couldn't possibly understand: Kaito did have a place in the modern world, even if he needed some courage to take it. They didn’t, or at least not a place that would bring them any lasting happiness.

Suddenly, Gakupo spied a grey and brown shape down below, curled up in a small sun-bathed clearing. He dropped down until he landed almost between his father’s paws. Goya showed no surprise at his presence; probably he had seen his approach. The beast man just licked his son’s face and closed his eyes again, enjoying the nice weather. Gakupo leaned forward and hugged his father’s thick neck. Unable to withstand his conflicted emotions any longer, he sank into the thick fur of Goya’s ruff and hid his face while sobbing.

With so many years gone by, his birth parents were nothing but a faceless, vague presence in the back of his mind. Gakupo could remember arms hugging him, hands helping him dress and ruffling his hair. His mother’s perfume enveloped him every time she kissed his cheeks. When he cried, they held him tightly, whispering reassurances. But both their touch and those words were long gone.

Goya, as always, let him cry as much as he liked, without saying anything. If he was in any way disappointed about Gakupo's fragility, he didn't show it. From his behavior, it seemed apparent that he was ready to protect his son for the rest of his life, which Gakupo found more than a little mortifying. But wasn't he doing just what Goya expected of him, acting like a weak little pup? That train of thought only made him sob harder; he rubbed his face against the warm fur, wishing for a second things were back like they used to be, just his father and him traveling across the wilderness. Everything was so simple then, so quiet…

Kaito's face surfaced in his mind, nervously hopeful. His youthful features smiled at him from the other side of the bars, at the loathsome place. Without hesitation, his hands pulled Gakupo outside and into the bright, amazing city.

“I don't regret meeting him,” Gakupo whispered. Goya didn't reply or even move; only his breathing indicated that he was still awake and alert. “I don’t regret the time I spent with him.”

Still…It hurt. Gakupo placed a hand on his chest, and its fingers touched the spot where the turquoise pendant once brushed his skin. His jailers at the Pale Line had taken it, along with everything else. The fae gave out a hiccupping little laugh, as he continued to cry. He leaned on his father, on the patch of soaked fur. Neither one said anything for a long time afterward.  


***

 

Kaito peered into the darkness of the big cavern, furiously trying to find the elusive figure of the little earth fae. He was well past the point of caring about anything that wasn't Gakupo, and keeping him by his side. If IA thought he was going to be intimidated by her new position or supposed powers, she was in for a surprise.

He set out walking along the shoreline of the underground lake, seeking IA’s pale fur. His limbs were trembling and his fingers twitched, as he replayed inside his head all the things he wanted to say to IA. He was so focused on his inner dialogue that he almost missed the fragile figure watching him, until she laughed again. The sound made him stop abruptly and turn wide-eyed towards the lake.

IA was seating on the chain between two of the pillars of quartz rising from the waters. Her tail was wrapped around the metal links, likely helping her stay in such a precarious position. Her pale hair was dyed in many colors as Prima’s fireballs danced around her.

“Come. Down. Here,” Kaito spat each word like a gob of poison, throat constricted due to a mix of nervous energy and anger.

“Last time you had that look on your face you hit me. No, thanks,” IA replied lightly.  One of her tiny feet kicked the air, and she smiled. “I can hear you perfectly well from here.”

“You're doing this just to get back at me, aren't you?” Kaito asked and gritted his teeth.

IA tapped her chin. “Hmmm… How should I put this? Oh yes, you _both_ brought me to this dump! What, do you think I would be grateful for this?” She opened her arms wide, as if to encompass all the dark, dusty passages and rooms around the lake. “You aren't any better than them!” This time, she pointed upwards.

“Look, I know it's a difficult position,” Kaito replied, anger giving in to a sliver of remorse. Then again, it wasn't like she had a much better life back in the Pale Line, he firmly told himself. “Just don’t take it out on him, he didn't choose any of this.”

IA cocked her head to a side, eyeing the flames nearby. “I can tell that much by looking at the situation, I'm not blind. They used him, just like me they want to use me.”

“Then why do you hate him so much?”

IA looked back at him, one eyebrow raised. “I did say that, didn’t I? And I still resent him, just a little.” She smiled somewhat mischievously. “But it's rather refreshing to deal with a man that's not attracted to me at all.” Her smile grew as she examined Kaito's face. “Even as I say that, you’re jealous! I wonder if I could make him fall in love with me…” She let out a little chuckle.

“He’s mine!” Kaito blurted out before he knew what he was doing.

His childish response only made IA laugh harder. “Oh, you want to own him? Make decisions for him, just like the others? Is he okay with that?”

Kaito's stomach sank. Again, he was being accused of wanting to control Gakupo. Was that what he was doing? But Kaito loved him, he loved him more than anything. He just wanted to take care of him!

 _You think I'm a stupid pup, just like Goya_ , a familiar voice echoed inside his head. _You think I can't decide things by myself._

“You can’t give him an open sky. And even if you could, you don’t want to. If it were up to you, you’d cut off his wings just to make sure he couldn’t escape you.”

Kaito gasped in horror at the conjured image; nauseated, he shook his head frantically to eject it from his mind. A moment later, he remembered the time at the hotel he had briefly envisioned how Gakupo would be if he had been born human. He rubbed his forehead furiously. Back then, he had worried that part of his attraction to the fae was due to his helplessness, didn't he?

"No," Kaito finally replied with feigned conviction. "Stop trying to confuse me. If he wants...," he swallowed, forming the words with difficulty. "I'll support whatever he wants to do, I'm his knight."

"My, isn't he lucky?" IA's sarcasm was almost palpable enough to slap him in the face. In an impossibly graceful movement, she stood up on the chain and balanced like an acrobat. "In that case, even if he doesn't, I'll be sure to remind you of what you just said. See you later, hero." She leaped away and landed on another chain that swung dangerously under her. Undaunted, she repeated the process several times until she reached the other side of the lake. Kaito didn't bother to follow her movements. He didn't care one bit about her destination. His gaze instead travelled upwards, but there was nothing there to see. Nevertheless, he stood there for a long while staring at the small patch of sky trimmed by vines and rocks, gnawing the same thoughts over and over and over. The heavens remained obstinately empty and distant.

"Son?"

With reluctance, Kaito lowered his gaze to find his father and Yuki staring at him from a few paces away. He had been so wrapped in his own troubles that he had completely failed to sense their approach. They wore almost matching expressions of concern. Kaito felt a wave of shame and mental tiredness swept him. Some knight he was, troubling everyone around him. "I- I'm sorry about before. I shouldn't have made a scene."

Mr. Fuuga examined his face. "Are you ok? Did you eat?"

"I... No, not yet." And he didn't have the slightest trace of appetite at the moment.

"I brought you something soothing to drink, to help you relax," Yuki interjected. Only then Kaito paid attention to the steaming cup in her small hands. Likely in response to his frown, she added, "It's very mild, it's only so can you eat and rest awhile. After all, the last days have been very eventful for you."

"Please son, do as Yuki says. Your face looks pale."

Kaito bit his lip. For the first time in his life, he wanted to say a cutting remark to his beloved father and he hated feeling that way. There he was, in his wrinkled suit, his graying hair slightly ruffled, as exhausted as Kaito or probably more. And yet his father wasn't mad at him. Not at all.

"Alright," Kaito finally said and accepted the cup. He took a cautious sip after blowing over the surface; it tasted very similar to green tea, with a somewhat spicier aftertaste. "...It's good."

Yuki smiled cutely, and for a moment he almost forgot she wasn't a child. Or that her intentions weren't necessarily aligned with his. But he had enough arguments for one day, so he thanked her and excused himself.

Inside the room was his now cold food, looking terribly unappetizing. He chewed without paying any attention to it, drank the rest of the concoction without tasting it, and laid on the bed without doing as much as kicking off his shoes. He fully expected to spend the following hours staring at the wall, but drowsiness came quickly as soon as his head touched the pillow.

Mild, the cute little liar had said.

 

***

 

His head hurt. That wasn't anything new, Kaito was used to getting stress-related headaches, but never like this. It felt like two thick bolts being drilled into his skull. He blindly prodded his scalp, pushing blue hair aside, but found nothing.

He rose up from the bed, but the rapid movement only made it worse. He grabbed his head, moaning, then yelling. It felt like something was pushing his cranium from the inside. As the seconds painfully stretched, his whole body began to burn. He sank to the floor, writhing in pain. The contents of his stomach violently left his body.

And then, as abruptly as it had started, the pain began to recede. His breathing quieted slowly. Kaito sat on the floor, wiping his mouth and chin with his hand; he sensed a strange fire crackling behind his eyeballs and travelling through his airways. "Very mild," he croaked with a bitter grin. It had to be the result of Yuki's brew; whether it was deliberate or not, he didn't know. Whatever the case, sitting there on the cool floor wasn't going to help. He stood up shakily and went to the lake to clean himself.

Outside, he once again looked up at the hole on the ceiling of the cavern. It was dark. But then his eyes trailed downwards and he found that the room across the lake was bathed in light. Gakupo's room. He almost started running towards the warm glow, before remembering the current state of his clothes and face.

The water was very cold. Not for the first time, Kaito wished for a hot bath and new clothes. But he trudged through the process of getting himself as presentable as possible. Then, shaking under his damp clothing, he began circling the lake. He probably looked very funny, he thought, jogging clumsily like a drunkard, tripping and almost falling every few steps on the uneven ground. But he didn't care, he didn't care about anything but Gakupo. His hands would massage Kaito's temples and everything would be fine. His body would drive the cold away.

He finally reached a narrow set of stairs carved into the wall of the cavern; it had no railing and ascended sharply in a zig-zag pattern to meet several ledges before the door-less, dark portals overlooking the lake. The seemingly random distribution of the carved rooms meant the whole arrangement looked vaguely like a tree with many branches. Either the original inhabitants of the refuge had no concerns about safety or they possessed a dexterity similar to IA's. Soon enough, Kaito found himself clinging to the wall as he miserably tackled one step at a time. Vertigo has returned to reclaim him, to the point that he crawled up the last flight on all fours, hurting his knees and hands. It didn't matter, his destination was close enough to bear it.  


One more step.

 

One more step.

 

Almost there.

 

One more.

 

One more.

 

One more.

 

One more...

 

"Kaito?"

 

Kaito looked up to see Gakupo standing just outside his door, eyes wide as saucers. Half of his body was clearly defined by the light of the room; the other half was shadowed, only slightly touched by the glow of the dancing flames down near the surface of the waters. Before Kaito could react, Gakupo swooped down and landed in front of him, cradling his face with his hands and peering at him intently.

"Gakupo, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"You're ill."

"It's nothing." Now that his endling was in front of him, Kaito knew he had a lot to say. But treacherously, his eyes closed and his mouth slurred. Gakupo's hands felt so nice and cool... maybe he could command the fire inside of him to leave.

Without saying anything else, Gakupo picked him up in his arms. Five seconds later, he gently laid Kaito down on his bed. The young man again tried to push some words past his lips, but the endling just shushed him. Like a grumpy nurse, he refused all attempts of communication until Kaito was out of his damp clothes and resting under a thick, warm pelt. Only then the fae asked, "You wait, yes? I can go to the icy rooms and wake Yuki."

"No, no... I'll be fine. Sit down, please." Kaito's hand shot out and grabbed Gakupo's wrist before he could fly away.

The pair stared at each other for a few moments before Gakupo sighed in defeat and sat next to Kaito's head. "Try to sleep, then." The fingers of his free hand gently but firmly freed his wrist; afterwards, he held Kaito's hand with a very light grip, as if afraid to hurt him.

"I love you so much," Kaito muttered. Guided by a sudden impulse, he wiggled and awkwardly propelled his body until his head rested on Gakupo's lap. _And that's what I am,_ Kaito told himself _, a worm squirming and burrowing and tainting everything with my wretchedness._

A hand began to smooth his blue hair. The tips of the fingers softly rubbed his scalp, drawing small circles. The sensation of well-being of that small act spread all throughout his body. Kaito closed his eyes again with a contented sigh, basking in that feeling.

_Everything is going to be fine, as long as you’re here…_

Kaito opened his eyes and sat up. To his surprise, he could sense an evident change in the air around him; the freshness of the morning gently gnawing at his bare skin. Outside, the sun was pouring from above, vainly trying to dispel the darkness shrouding the underground lake. It only had felt like a second or two, but it seemed that he had fallen asleep again on Gakupo's lap.

"You feel well?"

He turned to see Gakupo watching him, head slightly cocked to one side. His tail was twitching wildly, in contrast to the immobility of the rest of his body.

"Yes. I feel great, actually. It's almost...I feel more alert or something." Strangely so, in fact. He wasn't the type to just roll out of bed full of energy, most of the time. But Gakupo gave him a small smile of relief and that was enough to push those thoughts aside. He had something more important to say. Drawing a deep breath, he took Gakupo's hands in his. The endling's eyes widened but he thankfully made no effort to pull away.

"Gakupo, I'm sorry about what happened yesterday. No, please let me say this. It hurts, it hurts to lose even a second of time I could spend with you. But I don't own you and I won't build cages to separate you from the world." Ridiculous being that he was, tears began welling up in his eyes, but he fought to keep his voice steady. "I'll stand by your side, no matter what you choose."

The eyes before him glistened, perhaps with hidden tears of their own. "…I wish it wasn't like this," Gakupo said almost too softly to hear. "But I need to help them." His mouth twitched oddly, before finally adopting a sad smile.

Kaito exerted every drop of will he had to nod calmly without saying anything. Gakupo didn't need his tears or anger. Instead, he inclined his head and kissed his endling's hands. His lips lingered on the skin, prolonging the moment. Inside his head, he pictured himself doing the same in front of the altar of whatever god had chosen this fate for him. It was almost comical.

Suddenly, Gakupo's expression shifted and he pulled away his hands. Kaito had a fraction of a second to fret about the gesture, before he realized Gakupo was looking past him towards the doorway. A moment later, a girlish voice broke the silence.

"Did I come at a bad time?"

Yuki stood just outside the room, holding a big bundle of fabric in her arms. She gestured with it, smiling. "I found some of my father's clothes! They are old-fashioned, but I fixed them to fit you. May I come in?"

"You tried to kill me." The words escaped Kaito's lips before this brain had any time to think better of it.

Gakupo gasped and actually dropped a pillow from the bed with an uncontrolled movement of his right wing.

On the contrary, Yuki barely reacted at his words. "May I come in?" She repeated the phrase as if she had heard nothing out of the ordinary. "We'll talk about it, but put on the clothes first."

"Oh sure, I'm dying to accept more favors from you. Maybe even literally."

"What- what did you say before?!" Gakupo grabbed his arm to demand Kaito's attention; his eyes were pleading for reassurance. "I hear wrong?"

Yuki sighed. "Settle down, dear, I did nothing of the sort. Kaito, please get dressed before you get a cold, then we can discuss the issue." She finally stepped into the room, placed the clothes on the bed and went out once more to wait on the ledge. She faced away from them, contemplating the lake below with folded arms.

After a second, Gakupo let go of Kaito's arm and examined the bundle of clothes. They were old-fashioned indeed, a set of dark hakama pants, a white shirt and a greyish blue kimono jacket. They even came with a worn-down scarf and a black cap.

"It looks like a movie costume,” Kaito commented, not really enthused. But he shrugged and took the clothes from Gakupo's hands. He dressed up quickly, while the fae went to trade some words with Yuki, and then surprisingly flew off without a word. Kaito only managed to catch a glimpse of his figure in the distance before he realized what was happening. "Wait, where are you going?!"

"He went to bring you breakfast," Yuki explained placidly. "He'll be back soon enough, don't look so worried. That level of possessiveness isn't very cute."

Kaito evaded her eyes, equal parts annoyed and embarrassed. Every single magical being left on Earth seemed intent on critiquing his behavior.

Yuki stepped forward almost soundlessly, except for the rustle of her robes dragged over the polished stone ground. She touched his hand with her icy, tiny fingers. "Don't think I don't understand. I may live in solitude, but I know the sight of the first spring blossoms pushing through the snow. And this is your first spring, the first time you have truly loved someone not of your own blood. You're bound to pour everything you have into this."

"Don't pretend to know me!" Kaito took a step backwards, avoiding her touch. Even more than the cold she emanated, her words made him unreasonably uncomfortable.

If Yuki felt offended by his reaction, she didn't show it. "That's precisely why I gave you that concoction yesterday. Please forgive the subterfuge, but you have to admit you tend to make rash decisions when it comes to Gakupo. There's something I needed to verify."

"What do you mean?"

"Yesterday Prima told you she might be able to awake the part of you that's non-human, right? And you rushed to say yes without thinking of the consequences." Yuki paused for a second, as if considering her words. "Truth is, Prima and I have our differences on how to handle you. Therefore, I wanted to personally make sure your body can really resist such transformation. I'm sorry if it was painful."

Kaito touched his scalp in the spots where Prima's illusions placed horns. "…Can I, then? Can I resist the process?"

"In my opinion, yes." Yuki smiled. "I was afraid you were going to insist on going through the ritual even if it was dangerous, so this is quite the relief."

"…Huh." Gradually, it occurred to Kaito that he ought to say something more, but before he could formulate a sentence, Yuki continued talking.

"I think we might be able to give you the ability to switch between human and inhuman appearances at will. Wouldn't that be a huge benefit to our cause? Very few of us can pass as humans long enough to go into the cities. However..." The snow woman inclined her head. "That makes the process more involved, and more painful as well. We know now that your body can endure it, but it's up to you if you want to subject yourself to such a thing."

"How long would it take?" If his previous experience was any indication, Kaito was going to spend hours bored into numbness while Prima babbled over him.

"A week perhaps? It's difficult to say, we've never attempted something so complex before."

A week? A whole week?! Kaito stared at her, mouth agape. The snow woman nodded, seemingly pleased by his reaction.

"Can you endure days of torment? Days of huddling in the darkness while the magic works on your flesh?" Her theatrical tone clashed with her small, innocent features. It occurred to Kaito that she was trying to scare him. "You won't have Gakupo to soothe your pain either. You need to be sealed inside the chamber so the air surrounding you is overflowing with magic. Can you stand complete isolation?"

Kaito could almost picture the bleak scene she was describing. A small pocket of stale air surrounded by rock and limitless silence. A casket to let go of everything he had been until that point in his life.

"…Does Gakupo know about this?"

"Oh no, I don't think so."

"Good, let's keep it that way. Just say I'm off training or something."

"So, you'll do it." It was barely phrased as a question.

"Of course."

Yuki's eyes sparkled, full of something that Kaito was surprised to identify as admiration. "I wish I could love like you do!"

"I..." Kaito fiddled with the scarf, at a loss of words for several seconds. Finally, he mumbled, "Umm, when do we start?"

"The sooner the better. Prima wants the wedding and the opening of the door to the new Arcadia to coincide with the next full moon."

"Right..." Kaito said a bit drily. Did she really had to remind him of Gakupo's and IA's wedding right after complimenting the strength of his feelings?

"You need to be prepared to defend Gakupo," Yuki continued without acknowledging his tone or expression. "Just in case anything unexpected comes out of the door."

This was a new development. "Are you expecting some kind of problem?"

"Nothing concrete at the moment. But it's been a long time since we had some news from Oberon and his retinue, so it's best to take some precautions."

"That's a little vague."

Yuki shrugged. "Anything could be behind the door. If it's just Oberon waiting to greet us with open arms, all the better."

"Speaking of which... Gakupo told me the previous Oberon couldn't become IA's Oberon, is that right?" Maybe he had it wrong after all, Kaito thought hopefully.

"That's the custom, yes. Besides, usually Titania and Oberon have contrasting forces under their command. In our case, Gakupo is a wind fae and IA an earth one. The late Titania was a wind fae and her Oberon is a horned iterronte."

"If I descend from a mountain ogre, doesn't that make me a 'contrasting force' to Gakupo?”

"Yes, it does." Yuki chuckled, covering her mouth with a sleeve for a few seconds. "But you can't be our Titania, if that's what you were thinking."

It was Kaito's turn to shrug, though the idea had indeed crossed his mind. "I'll be by his side anyway; the label doesn't matter."

At that moment, the sounds of wings flapping became apparent. Gakupo was coming back. Yuki said quickly, "Come to my rooms when you're ready to begin. Let your father and Gakupo know that you'll be gone for a while."

"I will."

Gakupo landed outside, carrying an enormous basket with enough food for the three of them. As soon as she saw that, Yuki began to softly protest, saying "Oh no, I'm not staying. I wouldn't impose on you like that."

"Are you still fighting?" Gakupo eyed them suspiciously. Despite knowing Gakupo would probably object to the idea, Kaito couldn't help but think it was more adorable than threatening.

Yuki waved her hands. "Don't worry about that, we've talked things over. No, I have things to prepare, and besides, you'll have a nicer time if it's just the two of you." She retreated to the door and disappeared before Gakupo could finish his reply.

The fae turned to Kaito, puzzled. "What is happening?"

Kaito placed his hands on Gakupo's shoulders and pulled him closer softly. "It's not a big deal." The face before him remained unconvinced, so he continued with a reassuring smile, "Yuki offered to train me to be a better knight. I'll be away for a few days."

"Can't I go with you?"

"You have to get ready for the wedding, don't you?" Kaito reminded him, doing his best not to cringe at the word.

Gakupo lowered his eyes and replied only with a small nod.

 _Don't make that face, please._ Kaito racked his brains trying to find something comforting to say, but every phrase sounded woefully inadequate. In the end, he leaned forward and kissed his fae's cheek, then hugged him tightly. At the very least, he could attempt to capture that instant in his heart, as a kind of shield against what was coming.

 

***

 

In his mind's eye, Kaito had pictured the cave he was going to inhabit for the next few days as a sickeningly narrow space, a sarcophagus of stone with walls thick as a mountain. Thanks to his unfortunately vivid imagination, he could nearly taste the stale air, its toxic components growing in number with every agonized breath. Rough ground to lie on, coldness and mind-numbing loneliness. So, a couple hours after his breakfast with Gakupo, as he walked after Yuki and Prima (again in her humanoid guise) through unknown tunnels, the specter of the confined tomb threatened to erode every ounce of confidence he had managed to scrounge together.

Thus, it was almost underwhelming when the mismatched duo stopped in front of a carved chamber much like the one he had been assigned as a bedroom, just full of dust, old cobwebs and run-down furniture. There was a greyish blanket on one corner over a mound of dry grass, and a pot on the opposite side of the room. The crystal hanging from the ceiling seemed much more worn-out than the others he'd seen elsewhere in the hideout, only giving a soft glow. The room's visible neglect matched the appearance of the other rooms nearby; no one had lived in that section of the hideout for years. 

"Go in," Prima ordered without preamble. "And don't try to come out until one of us tells you to do it."

Kaito searched inside his head for a joke or funny comment of any kind, just to alleviate his own nervousness. But neither his brain nor his tongue wanted to cooperate with him, so he nodded and stepped inside. As he did, he briefly wondered how they were planning on sealing him inside, since the chamber didn’t have any door he could see. But as soon as his foot touch the floor past the doorway, he felt something stirring. A constant stream of muttering crashed against his timpani like ocean waves, and goosebumps covered his skin. Insubstantial touches travelled all along his body, alternating between piercing and pinching him. The lights began to dim.

"Lie down."

"Let it happen."

The figures at the other side of the doorway were now black featureless silhouettes, aside from their eyes: one pair of fiery red eyes, one pair of icy blue ones. The glow of those eyes seemed to expand, engulfing him. For the first time, he was seeing what they truly were, under the deceiving mask of humanity. It was both horrible and fascinating. He fell backwards into a seated position, then dragged himself on the hard ground until his hands felt the prickly sensation of dry grass. He huddled on top of it, still mesmerized by the orbs of light past the doorway. He feared them. He feared them. He couldn't look away.

And suddenly they weren't there. There was nothing to meet his gaze but the deepest darkness he had ever known. It was all too easy to think he had stumbled out of time itself. He was drifting away from life, from the sun and the warm breeze of summer. Worlds away from the old house of his childhood and the yellow-green of the garden. Away from his father's kindness, away from the leisurely afternoons talking and studying with Hiroshi and Akane in the campus grounds. Away from Gakupo and his eyes full of golden light.

All of that had been replaced by the perennial night of the underground, the whispering and the prickling sensation on his skin. They seeped inside of him, darkness and magic oozing into his mouth, eyes and nostrils. He heard stone dragging over stone, a slab coming out of nowhere to block his way, announcing its arrival with the inescapable sound of captivity.

And then, the pain started.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back! (If anyone cares at this point).  
> My goal is to finish all my fics in time for Gaku's birthday, but we'll see.
> 
> I have no beta for this so let me know if there's anything peculiar.

Kaito had lost track of time long ago. Even his senses seemed to be completely warped. He was lying on the ground inside one of the many rooms of the fae hideout, yet he felt as if he could’ve been slowly sinking in a black sea. Like the rich waters of a deep trench, his surroundings seem to pulsate with something beyond his imagination. There was one thing clear to him at this point: the world he always took for granted was a shroud for something more than the mere absence of sunlight. He knew this with complete certainty, yet he couldn’t grasp what was there to be discovered. Perhaps each time dawn touched the surface of the earth, the night and all its monsters simply seeped underground, condensing and growing more and more sour as they descended.

 

Had Yuki and Prima lied? Maybe they had always meant to feed him to whatever dwelled in the lower levels of their abode. Maybe the pain making him scream wasn’t due to a metamorphosis...He was simply being consumed. It hurt. It hurt. How could anyone survive this? Fire danced on his back as if his spine contained oil instead of marrow. His limbs ached terribly as they rearranged themselves in nonsensical ways. Through it all, he passed out again and again, only for the same torment to drag him back into consciousness. He could do nothing but curl up inside the bowels of the earth, barely able to formulate thoughts.

 

Hate wasn’t the proper word for what Kaito could feel around him. And yet it played so cruelly with his body, twisting it and splashing the ground with his misery. There were no descriptors appropriate for something so unlike humans, nothing that could capture the exact mixture of indifference and malice of his unknowable torturer. It absorbed his sobbing and shouting and found them unsatisfactory. Kaito meant nothing to the years and years accumulated all around him, the condensed layers of yesterday’s nocturnal terrors and featureless apparitions. Everything that had rejected the world of rationality was down here, ready to accept his suffering as a momentary distraction. However, a single boy lost in the dark was ultimately insufficient to satisfy them.

 

Many hours passed. Or perhaps it was only minutes.

 

Without warning, Kaito felt something materialize right on top of him, straddling his body. Before he had time to react, a red light seared his eyes. The scene revealed by the fleeting glow remained etched inside of his head, its details clear enough to push aside the other sensations fighting for his attention as his blindness returned. The figure was wearing an imitation of his own face, with an expression so alien that he could hardly recognize his own features. His throat had no sounds left, but Kaito managed to scream yet again. He could still feel the weight of the other Kaito pinning him to the ground, but in the darkness the entity must’ve shed its false visage, because he could feel it prodding his body, pulling his limbs in multiple directions and tearing at his clothes. It felt as if it had many more than four extremities.

 

“Who are you?! What do you want?!” Kaito managed to say.

 

Something like a hand touched his cheek. The fingers had more phalanges than it was possible.  “Who are you? What do you want?” The figure or the darkness itself replied, he couldn’t tell for certain. It sounded like his voice, but distorted and robbed of any emotion, so much that almost sounded like a random collection of sounds, devoid of any meaning.

 

“I…” Kaito gnashed his teeth. Why did he feel compelled to answer? Whatever this horror was, it surely wouldn’t understand or care. It was merely parroting back his words without knowing what they meant, wasn’t it? Nevertheless, he _had_ to answer.

 

_Who are you?_

 

Kaito was still lying on the ground. However, he also was standing in a mountainous terrain covered with bamboo trees and mossy rocks. A fine mist clung to his skin. He was back in his homeland, somehow. Although he was in a dark cave, he was also in his mountain, waiting for the sightless maiden. He looked at his claws covered in dew and smiled wistfully. He was in love. It was wrong to love her, but he couldn’t erase her image from his heart. He was desperately lonely.

 

_Who are you?_

 

It wasn’t anything but a passing attraction. Perhaps nothing but curiosity. Kaito knew better than to be fooled, but it didn’t matter. The upperclassman wasn’t especially good-looking, but he acted normally around Kaito. Like he wasn’t a freak or a failure. So, Kaito followed him to the back of the gym, and did everything the other boy wanted. He lied down in the cave, he surrendered himself to the upperclassman. He was desperately lonely.

 

_Who are you?_

 

Kaito found himself in the garden of the old country house. The sun was warm and pleasant, and he felt its caress on his head at the same time he shivered in the cold air of the cavern. The contradiction didn’t faze him; his father was watching him play from his seat in the open corridor and Kaito felt safe and almost comfortable. The son smiled and bounced around trying to catch a butterfly. He finally caught when it landed on some lilac flowers by the pond, then ran and presented it to his father.

 

“Look!”

 

“It’s very nice.” His father tousled his hair, examining the blue strands of hair. “You know…You have to start school soon. I can’t keep you hidden here any longer. I wish I could find a dye that actually worked.”

 

His father seemed very reluctant. The Kaito in the cavern knew why, but the Kaito in the sun didn’t. He was happy. School is where you go to make friends, right? He was tired of feeling lonely.

 

“I don’t want to be alone.”

 

“Alone.” The darkness echoed in agreement.

 

“The ogre wasn’t strong enough to keep his maiden. What’s going to happen to me?”

 

The darkness didn’t reply. Kaito suddenly realized why: the void could only take his fears and pain, it could give nothing back. He could look into it, name it or even give it transitory form. Everything he poured down the well was waiting for him, festering in the shadows. But it would never give him the answers. That was up to him.

 

“I… I understand now.” With those words, his mind cleared up considerably, and even the pain began to recede.

 

There was a blue flash of light. The figure was back on top of him. It was the ogre: a young male much like Kaito, garbed in white and blue robes. His clawed hands cupped his descendant’s face with surprising tenderness. His long sleeves rustled like leaves in a fresh autumn afternoon. “My son… Don’t be like me,” the ogre said.

 

“I just need your strength.”

 

The ogre smiled sadly. “Are you an ogre?”

 

“…No.”

 

“Are you a human, then?”

 

“I’ve always claimed to be one, even if part of me isn’t.”

 

“Are you a human?” The ogre insisted.

 

“I always wanted to be fully human, until now.”

 

“Are you a human?” The ogre asked for the third time, relentless.

 

“I’m something in between human and ogre, and neither.”

 

The ogre’s smile widened and seemed more authentic. “Who are you?”

 

“I’m myself. Kaito Fuuga. Every bad thing I’ve done, every good thing I’ve done, they happened because I am who I am, and not someone else.”

 

“What do you want?”

 

“I want…” Kaito thought of Gakupo sitting on the edge of the pond, glittering drops scattered on his hair and skin. He recalled the smiling face of his father, worn down by time but full of gentleness. He then pictured his friends, waiting for news of him. Was that enough of an answer? It was them, their love and companionship, their endless faith in him. It was his desire to honor them, to cherish them, to protect them. He wanted nothing more but to preserve the bonds that propelled him time and time again over previously insurmountable walls.  “I owe it to them and to myself. Not because I want to become someone else. I can become stronger without losing any part of me.”

 

The ogre nodded. He spoke and Kaito spoke at the same time, discovering what the words were as they dropped from his mouth. Was he a reflection of the ogre? Was the ogre a reflection of him? He couldn’t tell where it all started or ended. Perhaps the words were there all along, sleeping in the depths of his blood.

 

_Crucible that melts my flesh. Frigid shore that grinds my bones. I was disjointed, I couldn’t look inside myself. Now I stand before you, offering what I have. Bring me renewal. Bind me to the singing world._

 

Red light scalded his eyes. In a brief flash, Kaito saw his outstretched hands turn from white to black and then crack and crumble like burnt firewood. But in the next impossible second, blue light inundated the cavern. Ice grew all around his dying flesh, like an armor. Cold needles sank into every pore of his charred skin, and then…

 

Kaito opened his eyes. He was lying on his back, inside a dusty cavern. The opening of the small space was open --it didn’t have a door in the first place. Beyond the uneven threshold, there was an equally dusty corridor illuminated by a candle inside a niche. The air was a bit cold and stale, but aside from that, there wasn’t anything too notable about his surroundings.

 

He sat up and checked himself for injuries. Nothing. The old-fashioned clothes Yuki gave him were as dirty as to be expected from lying down on the floor, but they weren’t torn or damaged in any way.

 

“Was it just a hallucination?” Kaito flexed his fingers reflexively. They looked completely normal. He touched his head and found nothing but his own short blue hair. Disappointment began to set in. Had the spell failed? Did he do something wrong? He again flexed his fingers, thinking of the ogre. He silently begged to his ancestor, _I need your claws to protect Gakupo! I need them!_

 

And just like that, a transformation began to occur before his eyes. The skin of his hands and forearms rippled and bubbled; his hair stood on end, iridescent. The sensation defied description, the change too quickly to be properly interpreted by his senses. The impossible wave of magic expanded to his fingers and made his nails bloom into long dark blue talons. A second later, it reached his head. There was a crack, then a rustle and a quick flash of pain followed by numbness. Kaito’s hands rose to touch his head again, just in time to feel a pair of horns growing from his head. His hair was growing as well, blue locks snaking down past his shoulders. It only stopped halfway down his back.

 

Kaito jumped to his feet, spurned by an abrupt surge of energy. His arms and legs felt like compressed springs, full of potential power. He wanted to rush to the surface, to climb the mountain range and jump down from the highest peaks. “Or maybe just find Gakupo and screw him senseless,” Kaito said to no one in particular, laughter almost drowning out the final words. Ordinarily, he would have never considered such phrasing. But now he felt so elated that his usual barriers were almost completely gone, and thus he set off running towards the surface, still smiling from ear to ear.

 

He raced down the underground tunnels, following the trail of lit candles at regular intervals. At no point did he doubt it was the route to the upper levels. He didn’t run out of breath; his legs didn’t ache. Kaito just ran faster and faster until he turned around a corner and saw the great cavern at the other end of the hallway. Another burst of laughter escaped from his lips.

 

Kaito emerged like a cannonball from the opening …And almost run into a line of small bipedal animals transporting chests and baskets along the border of the lake. With reflexes he most certainly didn’t have before, Kaito leaped over the small procession and landed elegantly on the other side, with the water barely touching the soles of his shoes. Caught by surprise, the creatures screeched with high-pitched, ululating tones. Despite their vaguely feline appearance, their shouts reminded Kaito of a peculiar mix between the call of an owl and the sounds of a wood flute.

 

“I‘m very sorry!” Kaito stopped staring and bowed deeply. After a moment, he hazarded a glance at the creatures. It was just in time to see one of them standing on tiptoes, just about to touch one of his horns. Its big phosphorescent eyes met his and it jumped back into a defensive posture. “Hey, no, don’t be afraid!” Kaito knelt on the ground and showed the group his empty hands.

 

The creature imitated his gesture and spoke in a surprisingly sweet and childish voice. Most of it made no sense to Kaito, except for two words: Titania and Oberon. “Hmm, I guess you came to see them.” Then the contents of the containers had to be wedding gifts. “Do you know where Titania and Oberon are?”

 

“Titania. Oberon.” The creature bobbed its long snout up and down. Its black paw pointed to Kaito’s left. The young man turned to look in that direction and discovered that a good chunk of the doorways on that side seemed to be lit now. There was movement inside many of the caverns and along the stairs hugging the wall; Kaito could see long and short silhouettes parading about in merry confusion. Some shapes were far from human-shaped, but he couldn’t see any details from that distance. A small crowd was gathered around a big doorway guarded by an enormous furry figure.

 

Kaito stood up, his immediate surroundings almost forgotten. The creature by his side chirped. When Kaito looked downwards, the creature curtsied and offered a silky paw. Kaito carefully took it with his clawed hand and the creature started walking, guiding him like a confident child. The procession marched slowly after them.

 

At such a placid pace, Kaito had plenty of time to observe the surroundings. Many of the caves had been cleaned. Some were completely empty, some had piles of dry grass and herbs like Gakupo’s nest. In a couple, he saw earth fae diligently repairing the old furniture of the hideout. Others were sewing clothes and making flower wreaths. One cavern was full of what at first glance seemed like white silk scarves, swirling in the air. The sight was so strange that he paused to look, but the creature at his side tugged at his hand and shook its head. His companion seemed so insistent that Kaito obeyed and resumed walking, though he kept shooting glances at the weird spectacle for a while.

 

Unsurprisingly, the big figure standing before the doorway turned out to be Goya. He was taller than most of the fae around him, except for some that to Kaito’s eyes looked like giraffes entirely made of climbing roses. The wolf-man’s humorless eyes observed the gradual approach of Kaito and his companions with practiced disinterest, but as soon as the group was near, Goya gruffly ordered the non-humans around him to make way and stepped forward.

 

The black creature let go of Kaito’s hand and curtsied gallantly once more. As Kaito expected, Goya utterly ignored his presence and focused on his small companion and its retinue. The wolf-man traded some words with the lead creature and crouched down to sniff the wedding gifts and the shiny pelts of the visitors. _He must be terrifying for someone of that size_ , Kaito thought. But the creatures remained still, heads respectfully bowed down.

 

Once Goya was satisfied, he nodded curtly and growled in the direction of the doorway. The heavy curtain covering the entrance moved to a side, pulled by something or someone on the other side. Kaito had a second to examine the golden interior before the small creatures broke into song and resumed their march. The earth fae by the entrance clapped and cheered them on, some even sang along echoing the mysterious words. Without knowing exactly what to do, Kaito followed the procession inside. Goya let out a low growl but made no attempt to stop him.

 

This cavern was one of the bigger ones Kaito had seen inside the hideout. It was roughly rectangular and fully illuminated by golden crystals hanging from the ceiling. They seemed like huge sunflowers growing upside down. Many glittering and colorful things had been piled in two tall mounds of treasure against the left and right walls, leaving a central passage. On the far end, there was a raised section carved out of the rock itself. The resulting dais was covered with flower petals and cushions of all sizes and shapes. Gakupo and IA were seated on two of the cushions, dressed in rich clothing and jewelry. They had almost matching expressions of polite boredom, but as soon as Gakupo noticed Kaito at the end of the procession, his tail perked up and a big smile illuminated his face. He seemed about to jump down to meet him, but then IA placed a hand on his thigh and muttered something, barely moving her lips. Gakupo gave Kaito an apologetic smile before turning his attention to the creatures. The song ended and the small visitors knelt before the pair.

 

Gakupo spoke to the black creatures in the language of the Warm Isles, presumably welcoming them. IA also said a few words, but she clearly wasn’t as fluent in it as her future husband. Nevertheless, the creatures seemed very pleased and presented their gifts puffing up their chests. Their soon-to-be queen smiled sweetly and looked at the berries and grains in the baskets with interest. Kaito couldn’t help but wonder how genuine her behavior was, but his mood was too jovial to care. In any case, the visitors were happy. They proudly added their presents to the piles in the room, swinging their short puffy tails from side to side like excited puppies. With the visit over, they retreated singing another song.

 

Kaito watched them leave, noticing that the curtain moved by itself once they were past the entrance. _I’ve never heard of fae like that, I hope they stick around for a while._ He began to turn towards the dais to ask about the little beasts...

 

And saw Gakupo swoop down to hug him with IA’s grouchy face in the background. Kaito stretched out his arms and gladly received the impact of Gakupo’s body colliding against his. For a second, Kaito was blinded by a cloud of purple hair. Laughing all the way, Kaito fell to the ground with Gakupo on top of him, with necklaces and bracelets clanging and clinking near his ears.

 

“You’re back!” The endling squeezed him almost to the point of suffocation. A good way to go, Kaito decided.

 

“Not that I would grieve, but you’re going to choke him,” IA pointed out. “Humans need air, in my experience.” Unfortunately, that made Gakupo back away, a bit red.

 

“I’m fine,” Kaito said quickly and sat up. Before Gakupo could get out of his reach, he grabbed one of his hands and pulled him onto his lap.

 

“We have more visitors coming. Could you please play later?” IA grumbled.

 

Gakupo laughed a little, tenderly extracting himself from Kaito’s arms. “She’s right. Sorry.” And he smiled warmly at IA while saying the last word. The girl, in turn, softened her expression ever so slightly.

 

Kaito examined their expressions with slight discomfort. They seemed so comfortable with each other all of the sudden. It wasn’t right.

 

“How about you stand guard outside for a few hours, brave knight? Like it or not, we have more subjects to welcome.” IA shook her head with what presumably was meant to be an indulgent expression.

 

“I… Yeah, sure.” Kaito nodded. He was Gakupo’s knight, even if she was saying it just to tease him.

 

“We’ll talk later, yes?“ Gakupo caressed one of his cheeks briefly, before returning to his cushion.

 

Kaito squared his shoulders and walked away as confidently as possible, although he felt just a bit deflated. Gakupo hadn’t even realized that his new appearance wasn’t just a disguise. But that was IA’s fault, she had distracted him. Things would go different once they were alone, Gakupo would be proud of Kaito for sure. The curtain pulled itself open once more and Kaito crossed the threshold, contented by the idea of an evening alone with the endling.

 

“I’m on guard duty as well,” he informed Goya.

 

The beast man answered with a sneer. “Soft human.”

 

“Not anymore.” Kaito pointed to his horns, undeterred. “I can protect him now.”

 

To his annoyance, Goya looked Kaito up and down with an expression that clearly betrayed his incredulity. Finally, he made a little gurgling sound. “A mutt protecting a pup.” He cut short Kaito’s protests with a raised claw and pointed to another group of approaching figures. “Guard quietly.”

 

Kaito sighed. “…Can do. Oh, but before that-”

 

Goya shushed him.

 

“I just want-”

 

“No more words.”

 

Kaito rolled his eyes but nodded, acknowledging defeat. He’d ask Gakupo about his father later. For the next couple of hours, he quietly observed the activity around the lake. He quickly arrived at the conclusion that humans had severely underestimated the variety of forms a magical creature could adopt. More than once he felt sorely tempted to leave his post and wander around. His presence was hardly necessary, he knew that deep down. And yet he stood rooted to the spot. 

 

By the time the activity in the hideout finally seemed to dwindle, the sunlight coming down from above had a red hue. As it grew violet, the fae around the doorway dispersed: some crawled up the crooked stairs to hide in the caves above, some disappeared inside one of the passages at ground-level. Goya poked his head inside the long golden room and growled a short question. A moment later, Gakupo and IA emerged.

 

“Good night,” Gakupo said to his adoptive father and the white-haired fae.

 

“Good night. Remember to rest,” IA said with a hint of a smile. She eyed Kaito with a cryptic expression but remained silent.

 

“Erm...” Kaito fidgeted under IA’s gaze. What did she want from him? She

didn’t care about anything he had to say, why not simply ignore him like Goya was wont to do?

 

An instant later, the mouse girl resolved the situation by turning away from him. Goya let out a little huff and knelt. IA hopped gracefully and landed on his shoulder. She sat down burying one hand into his ruff as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Without another word or even a glance at the other two, the beastly non-human rose and began walking away towards one of the lit passages.

 

“He’s starting to like you, I think,” Gakupo whispered, eyes still fixed on the retreating figures. “Both are.”

 

“Could’ve fooled me,” Kaito replied. But that hardly mattered at that moment. He stepped in front of Gakupo and pulled him down for a short kiss. “Let’s go.”

 

To his satisfaction, Kaito saw some curiosity in Gakupo’s eyes, as if he was finally noticing something odd. But the endling simply embraced him and leaped into the air singing his familiar tune. Kaito tilted back his head and closed his eyes, gladly absorbing the cool feeling of air rushing past them. He didn’t open them even after they landed on the ledge in front of Gakupo’s room. Instead, he stood in silence, hands resting on his endling’s chest as if waiting for some unknown signal.

 

“Kaito?”

 

The fabric under his fingers was thin. It could tear so easily into ribbons if he felt so inclined, with his powerful new hands…

 

“Kaito, are you alright?” The concern in Gakupo’s voice finally made him open his eyes. “Are you angry I’ve made you wait?”

 

“Not the word I’d use,” Kaito said with a grin. “Come on.”

 

Gakupo followed him inside, even more perplexed than before. His look of confusion only deepened when Kaito began undressing. “Straight to bed?”

 

Kaito tossed the final item of clothing aside and faced Gakupo. “If you want to. But first I want you to take a good look at me.”

 

Gakupo tilted his head. He began to say something, but then his eyes widened. In silence, he circled around Kaito; in his distracted state, he tripped on the discarded clothing on the ground. Kaito caught him effortlessly, once more showing a dexterity he never possessed before that day.

 

“How?” Gakupo asked, still clinging to Kaito’s arms.

 

“Prima and Yuki did something to me. Don’t ask me how it works, but then I transformed into this on my own. Look.” He placed Gakupo on the bed and concentrated.

 

Nothing happened.

 

Nothing happened for a while longer.

 

“Maybe you have to sing?” Gakupo suggested.

 

“No, no, I just wished for it… I…” Kaito paused, keenly aware of what the problem was. _I don’t want to be human anymore._ He wanted to be fae and live at Gakupo’s side. No wonder he couldn’t change back. But he needed a human disguise to protect his love. Immediately, his skin began to itch and bubble. One long breath later, he was back into his regular body. Two more breaths and the ogre returned.

 

“You can live in hideout and city,” Gakupo said with awe. But Kaito shook his head.

 

“I’m not going back to the city, ever.” He sat next to Gakupo and took one of his hands between his. “I did this for you. If you stay here, I’ll stay here. If you go beyond that door of yours, I’ll go with you. Even if we can never be officially together. I don’t care about ceremonies or titles as long as I can be with you.”

 

“That’s not fair to you. I should’ve never…” Gakupo frowned and looked downwards, gathering his thoughts. “You have a life out there. I shouldn’t force your choice.”

 

“You're not forcing anything. You chose what you think it’s right and I’m choosing what I think is right. This is what I want.” Kaito caressed the fae’s cheek and was rewarded with a fleeting smile, though Gakupo still failed to meet his gaze.

 

“IA says she doesn’t mind us if she is first and most important. But she calls you names in joke.”

 

“She can say whatever she wants as long as I can have this,” Kaito replied and kissed Gakupo’s neck. His hands traveled up and down the elegant fabric covering the endling’s torso.

 

“You do,” Gakupo muttered. He stood up and began to fiddle with the clasps at the sides of his tunic.

 

Kaito lied on his back on the center of the bed and watched everything come off, including the ribbon in Gakupo’s hair. The fae then climbed on the bed and between Kaito’s legs.

 

“What sort of names does she call me?”

 

Gakupo paused, head tilted to a side. His long hair tickled Kaito’s stomach as he considered the question. “I don’t remember all the words. She learned them at the awful place.” His hands landed softly on Kaito’s skin; the fingers moved capriciously, gradually settling into a pattern and rhythm. “I don’t want to remember.”

 

“I’m… I think I know what she says...anyway...” Kaito said breathlessly. Not that he really cared. What they had was nothing like the sordid business of the Pale Line, he was offering himself to Gakupo on his own terms.

 

Gakupo looked at him with mild bemusement. His hands stopped moving and rested on Kaito’s waist. “I don’t want others to think less about you.”

 

“Less of me? It doesn’t matter,” Kaito said as emphatically as he could. To make his point even clearer, he rose to hungrily claim Gakupo’s mouth. The fae opened his lips and Kaito gladly put the rest of the world aside for a few minutes. By the time he tilted his head back gasping for air, the conversation was over. The warm sensation of Gakupo’s skin brushing against him turned all other concerns into unfocused, meaningless images, like ruins slowly covered by sand, and that was exactly what he wanted.

 

His lover’s figure was silk, with locks of hair like waves crashing against his arms and feathers rustling against the sheets. He was also stone, lean and teeming with fire. Kaito took everything in and pleaded for more, over and over, until he was completely in shambles. His cries echoed in a warm darkness that was the opposite of the one he had experienced in the womb of the earth.

 

When it was all over, Gakupo retreated to the foot of the bed and watched Kaito in silence, solemnly. It felt chilly without the fae’s weight on top of him, and Kaito wanted nothing more than to beg Gakupo to wrap himself around him. But an incredible tiredness swept over him. His eyes began to close, still locked on the slim figure watching him. Gakupo’s eyes glinted gold, like that distant stormy night. He was saying something so softly Kaito couldn’t understand him. Perhaps it was a word in his native tongue. Before Kaito could muster the strength to ask anything, his eyes closed. He slept.

 

* * *

 

_I never asked about Dad._ Kaito played with the long strands of purple hair, waiting for Gakupo to wake up. It was the first time Kaito had seen him sleep so soundly... He didn’t mind the prospect of spending the whole morning under a cute sleeping fae, though.

 

Still, the thought of his father dampened his joy. He was _not_ going to be pleased to hear of his son’s decision. Kaito could already hear his voice in his ears. What about his education? What about his future? What if the new Arcadia was a dangerous place? There were many possible objections his father could formulate.

 

And there was something else. Mr. Fuuga had no other close relatives. Kaito was his only heir and the only one that could take care of him in his old age. Despite the warmth all around him, Kaito felt a small chill down his spine. The cold settled inside his stomach like a rock, as he pictured his father completely alone. What if he had an illness or accident, and Kaito wasn’t there to care for him? Would anyone else take his place? Did he have any right to shirk his duties as a son?

 

Kaito let out a humorless chuckle. He had been so angry before because Gakupo wanted to take care of his surrogate father. Only now could he really understand his conflicted feelings.

 

“..nnm?” Gakupo lifted his head and blinked slowly at him.

 

“I didn’t mean to wake you up, sorry.”

 

“Need to go to sewing ladies. Wedding dress for tomorrow,” Gakupo uttered, although his eyelids were threatening to close again.

 

Dress? Surely Gakupo was using the wrong word again. Although everything was possible...In any case, that innocuous response sparked a peculiar irritation inside Kaito. He wasn’t even clear on who was the exact target of his anger. Maybe there was no one at all. But he grabbed Gakupo’s head with more force than it was necessary. “No!”

 

Gakupo‘s eyes grew wide with shock. He didn’t move or say anything.

 

“You have all day to go get your outfit. Please, just a little longer.”

 

The fae examined his expression for a few seconds more before he responded with a cautious nod.

 

_This is my last chance to be selfish without serious repercussions_ , Kaito realized. _I better make it count_. He forced the sides of his mouth to curve upwards. Gakupo relaxed somewhat, then leaned in for a kiss. It was all the encouragement Kaito needed.

 

He was going to be _very_ selfish.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this. Please excuse any errors, I wasn't able to secure a beta for this work.


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